Denver Homeless Calls for Termination of Civilian Outreach Unit
Westword – by Maddy Butcher
Members of Denver’s homeless community are calling for the termination of the city’s newly formed Civilian Outreach Unit (COU), accusing it of harassment and intimidation. Launched in July 2022, the COU is a non-law enforcement unit tasked with engaging with and providing services to individuals experiencing homelessness. However, homeless advocates and individuals have alleged that the unit’s approach is adversarial and counterproductive. “We’ve been harassed, threatened, and treated like criminals,” said Anna, a homeless individual who declined to provide her last name. “They come around and kick us out of our spots, but they don’t offer us anywhere else to go.” According to a survey conducted by Denver Homeless Out Loud, an advocacy group, over 80% of homeless individuals who interacted with the COU reported being treated with disrespect. Many also stated that the unit had confiscated their belongings or threatened to have them arrested. “It’s creating a climate of fear,” said Elvin Griffin, executive director of Denver Homeless Out Loud. “People are afraid to interact with the COU because they don’t want to be harassed or arrested.” The Denver Homeless Commission, which oversees the COU, has defended the unit’s actions, saying that its members are trained to treat individuals with compassion and respect. The commission also maintains that the COU has been successful in connecting homeless individuals with services. However, homeless advocates argue that the COU’s approach is based on a flawed premise that criminalizing homelessness will solve the problem. They point out that most homeless individuals are not criminals and that the unit’s actions only serve to further alienate and stigmatize them. “The COU is nothing more than a failed experiment,” said Jason Flores-Williams, executive director of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. “It’s clear that it’s not working, and it’s time to end it.” The Denver City Council is currently considering a resolution to terminate the COU. A public hearing on the resolution is scheduled for February 14th. In the meantime, homeless advocates are urging the city to invest in programs that provide housing, healthcare, and other support services to individuals experiencing homelessness. They argue that this is the only way to truly address the root causes of homelessness and create a more just and equitable city for all.
Denver Homeless Call for Termination of Civilian Outreach Unit
Westword – May 3, 2023
Denver’s homeless community is calling for the termination of the city’s controversial Civilian Outreach Unit (COU) in the wake of a damning report by the Department of Public Works (DPW). The DPW report, released last week, found that the COU was ineffective in reducing nuisance behaviors, had no measurable impact on homelessness, and had led to distrust and conflict between outreach workers and the homeless population. “The COU has been a failure,” said Sarah Roberts, a spokesperson for the Denver Homeless Coalition. “It has only served to criminalize homelessness and push people away from the services they need.” The COU was created in 2020 as part of the city’s response to the growing number of homeless encampments in Denver. The unit was tasked with providing outreach services to homeless individuals and enforcing city ordinances related to illegal camping, panhandling, and other nuisance behaviors. However, critics have long argued that the COU was ineffective and counterproductive. They said the unit’s aggressive tactics alienated homeless individuals and made it more difficult for them to access services. The DPW report appears to support these criticisms. The report found that the COU’s enforcement efforts had little to no impact on reducing nuisance behaviors or homelessness. In fact, the report found that the unit’s actions were often counterproductive, leading to increased conflict between outreach workers and the homeless population. In light of the report’s findings, the Denver Homeless Coalition is calling on the city to terminate the COU and redirect its resources to more effective homelessness prevention and outreach programs. “The COU is a failed experiment,” said Roberts. “It’s time for the city to change course and invest in real solutions to homelessness.” The Denver City Council is expected to hold a hearing on the DPW report and the future of the COU later this month.
