Talk about a "war on poverty." AP is reporting:
At least four suburban law enforcement departments have been spotted dropping off people who appeared to be homeless on the city's downtown streets, authorities said. Capt. Andrew Smith said he and his partner saw sheriff's deputies drop off a man Tuesday in a downtown Los Angeles neighborhood where many homeless shelters are located. Police and downtown officials have long suspected that law enforcement agencies from outside the city were using the downtown neighborhood as a dumping ground for homeless people. Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Police Department ordered officers to stop out-of-area police cars they spotted dropping people off.
"The bottom line is, the service providers in downtown and the skid row area cannot accommodate all the intoxicated, drug-addicted and homeless individuals from all over the county," Smith said.
Officials from three of the departments - El Monte, El Segundo and Pasadena - said dumping was common years ago but is now banned. They offered to investigate if the LAPD would provide details.
Officials from the fourth suburb, Burbank, declined to comment.
More like this story
More stories by this author
- EDITOR'S NOTE: 19 Years of Love, Hope, Miss S, Dr. S and Never, Ever Giving Up
- EDITOR'S NOTE: Systemic Racism Created Jackson’s Violence; More Policing Cannot Stop It
- Rest in Peace, Ronni Mott: Your Journalism Saved Lives. This I Know.
- EDITOR'S NOTE: Rest Well, Gov. Winter. We Will Keep Your Fire Burning.
- EDITOR'S NOTE: Truth and Journalism on the Front Lines of COVID-19