A new pilot program run by Tucson Police Department will create a list of the 50 people most often convicted of trespassing, loitering and being caught with drug paraphernalia to offer them additional services. But if they refuse or reoffend, it could mean harsher criminal penalties.
The program is the latest in Tucson’s ongoing effort to use city ordinances and policing policy to limit where and how unhoused communities can sleep and spend time in the city, while also encouraging people to access shelter and substance abuse treatment when available.
The pilot, called the Focused Deterrence Quality of Life Initiative, will be presented to city council at Tuesday’s study session.
It targets “misdemeanor criminal offenses that most seriously impact the quality of life of our community,” according to a summary of the pilot provided to city council. It also focuses on the people who are convicted most often in Tucson’s northwest police division, an area running roughly from Starr Pass Boulevard north to Wetmore Road and from Campbell Avenue west to the Tucson Mountains.
Along with trespassing and loitering, targeted offenses include public urination, disorderly conduct and median violations.
Each week, two individuals on the list will be contacted by several Tucson Police teams including community outreach and mental health support and Tucson City Court representatives. If a targeted person rejects housing or addiction services offered, they could see additional criminal charges.
“Individuals who decline available assistance and continue offending may be referred for enhanced criminal justice accountability in coordination with prosecutorial partners,” the memorandum says.
Get involved
Watch the city council study session live at 1 p.m., Tuesday, July 21 online
Attend city council Tuesday, July 21 at 940 W. Alameda Ave. Study session at 1 p.m. and regular council meeting at 5:30 p.m.
While research has shown policing for low-level offenses has historically led to racial disparities in charges and that policing minor crimes doesn’t necessarily stop larger crimes, experts say the impact of deterrence programs changes depending on whether the program becomes a pathway to services, or to the criminal justice system.
That’s the concern of mutual aid organizers who say using police to target people deemed a nuisance for low-level misdemeanors is a dangerous precedent.
“Mayor and council continue to manipulate the narrative that they are engaging in compassionate and progressive actions while actually using disproven methods of criminalization and policing,” Community Care Tucson organizer Elizabeth Casey said. “Despite saying the safe city initiative is designed to provide services, the data released so far proves that this is an initiative of mass arrest and criminalization, with hundreds of people being charged with low level crimes and a few receiving temporary services.”
Data from a recent outreach effort shows that in four months this past winter, police made 360 contacts that resulted in 328 arrests with 1,097 total charges that include 332 misdemeanors, 68 felonies, 345 misdemeanor warrants and 24 felony warrants.
They also facilitated 29 shelter placements, 26 detox acceptances and 15 medical-assisted treatment referrals.
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The pilot will run for six months and then be evaluated for effectiveness. The Tucson Police Department declined to comment on the initiative before it is formally presented. The city of Tucson also declined to comment.
The Tucson Police Department is also developing an initiative aimed at people dealing drugs, called the Focused Deterrence Narcotics Initiative that aims to identify people dealing drugs and make sure they are charged in a consistent way through the county attorney’s office.
“The intent is not to actively seek out these individuals for enforcement,” according to the city council document. “These individuals may be involved at any level of narcotics distribution, not just street-level dealing. We will also explore a partnership with Community Safety, Health, and Wellness (CSHW) to ensure those individuals are offered services and resources that may help them exit the lifestyle.”
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