Gary Police deputy chief Brian Evans told Common Council members recently that police are trying to figure out ways to discourage homeless people and other vagrants who congregate near businesses along Broadway from harassing would-be customers.
Evans said he is aware of businesses, particularly those gathered around 15th Avenue, that have homeless people who regularly congregate around the businesses and try to pressure their customers into giving them money.
He said police are aware they cannot just remove anybody who loiters around the businesses, particularly because many of the business owners have come to accept the homeless as part of the scene and do not complain unless someone becomes violent.
Evans told council members that police intend to step up their patrols in the area around 15th Avenue just south of downtown Gary, in hopes that an increased police presence discourages any of the homeless from engaging in excessive misbehavior.
He also said police have been talking with the business owners to try to come to a consensus as to how severe the problem of vagrancy is in Gary, and to try to figure out to what degree these are people who suffer from mental health issues who are in need of assistance that assorted state agencies could provide them with.
Councilwoman Carolyn Rogers, D-4th, admitted confusion as to what could be done about the situation. “What are we allowed to do,” she asked.
Council President Ronald Brewer said he has seen incidents where homeless people beg customers for money, then harass them if they refuse to provide any. He said he once parked outside a Church’s Chicken franchise in the 1400 block of Broadway and saw countless incidents of would-be customer harassment. “Nobody wants to go to businesses if they’re going to be harassed” he said.
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Evans admitted that merely removing people from the area for loitering will not resolve the situation. “We could pick up all these people, and they’ll just be right back within the hour,” he said.
Councilman Herb Smith Jr., D-at large, said he wants a tough stance by police and other municipal officials to the problem of vagrancy.
He says Gary has developed a reputation as being too sympathetic towards the individuals, whom he says interfere with any serious effort by the city to develop a business climate.
“We can’t let one person stop us from rebuilding our city,” Smith said, adding he does not see other surrounding communities in Lake County showing as much sympathy toward loitering as Gary does.
“We’re trying to grow a city, and we need to find a way to deal with this issue if we’re to succeed,” he said. “Our police department is going to find a compassionate way to remove them.”
Gregory Tejeda is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.