(The Center Square) – Leaders in Eau Claire want to know how to deal with western Wisconsin police departments that are dropping homeless people off in the city.
Both the city and county wrote a letter to Wisconsin’s attorney general this week asking for advice.
“The practice of transporting people experiencing homelessness to Eau Claire, absent a warm hand-off to services, is harmful and not in the best interest of the person facing hardship,” the city said in the six-page letter.
Eau Claire’s city attorney and the county’s corporation counsel both signed the letter.
They are asking Attorney General Josh Kaul for “advice on how best to offer the needed services in a manner that is meeting obligations to serve and protect our residents while avoiding civil and criminal liability for law enforcement officers that may attach for action taken outside his or her territorial jurisdiction.”
City attorney Stephen Nick added in the letter that Eau Claire is seeing a spike in crime because of the homeless drop-offs.
“Oftentimes these individuals commit crimes immediately after arriving, which victimizes Eau Claire residents,” the letter states. “Our Police Officers have been injured when the transported person becomes resistive and combative.”
The letter specifically names the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office, Menomonie Police Department and Durand Police Department.
Eau Claire’s letter also cites three cases dating back to mid-October when out-of-town police departments brought homeless people to Eau Claire.
Two of those people, the letter says, had not committed any crimes, but all of them “had contact” with Eau Claire police after they were dropped-off.
“These are not transports to the county jail or a receiving medical or mental health facility but often only to the edge of a sidewalk, Kwik Trip or such location without choice, treatment, care or notice. Those who may soon encounter these individuals in need of care have no background on which to offer assistance or protection,” the letter adds. “In these cases, it also includes unwitting motel or convenience store clerks, wholly unprepared for the needs of this person who a law enforcement officer sworn to serve and protect just dropped off at their doorstep.”
Eau Claire and the county are asking for four answers from the AG’s office, including whether “law enforcement officers have legal authority to make unrequested, non-consensual, custodial transport of unhoused or other individuals who have created no crime to other jurisdictions?”
And “which county is financially responsible for costs incurred when services must be provided.”
