The Santa Rosa City Council is being asked by its staff this Tuesday to authorize the use of maximum force to punish residents charged with "Quality of Life" offenses. Raising the charges from infractions to misdemeanors will result in fines of up to $1,000, up to six months in County Jail, or both. Criminal convictions will exacerbate housing, employment, and health care access for those homeless.
This policy stands for every thing I am against when it comes to how Law Enforcement should be dealing with the homeless. We should be working with the DA And Public defenders office to help set up a quality of life crimes court that helps direct people committing quality of life crimes to programs that help work on the underlying issues. Santa Rosa has enacted "Housing First" programs closing down homeless encampments forcing many of our homeless to find shelter downtown or head further out to West County.
Jay A. Foxworthy