Sun editorial:

Kindness not a crime

Metro deputy chief halts the practice of citing people who help the homeless

Thursday, April 16, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.

A Metro Police official showed good judgment last month when he ended a practice among patrol officers of stopping well-meaning donors from assisting homeless people.

Deputy Chief Gary Schofield said he found out about the practice after a Metro officer prevented members of a Henderson church from giving food and clothing to homeless people living in tents at Foremaster Lane and Main Street in Las Vegas.

The officer told the group he was going to give them a written warning and that if they tried to help the homeless anywhere else, they would be “written up” there, too.

Schofield told Las Vegas Sun reporter Timothy Pratt that he didn’t think anyone could “address the problem of homelessness by giving citations.”

The church members, from the Green Valley Christian Center, had been turning their faith into action over the past five years, Pratt reported, through direct assistance to the homeless once a month.

There are many passages in the Bible that guide believers on this issue. Deuteronomy 15:7, for example, says: “... you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother.” Psalms 41:1 says, “Blessed is he who considers the poor.”

Then there are people, of course, who feed and otherwise help the homeless who do not belong to faith-based organizations. The point is, no well-meaning adult should be stopped and threatened with a ticket simply for showing kindness to someone, including those who happen to be homeless.

Schofield, aware that Metro’s recent actions in this regard have raised questions, is scheduled to conduct a public meeting from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. It will be held at Metro’s Downtown Area Command Center, 621 N. Ninth St.

That is a good response. This issue should be aired so everyone concerned about the well being of homeless people can hear firsthand from Metro that handing out food and other appropriate supplies is not a crime.

We hope someone brings lunch, and invites all the homeless attendees to help themselves.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By uddeboda

4/16/09 at 7:38 a.m.

Suggest removal

Kindness is NOT a crime, but in times like we have now, ""its every man for himself, and f##k the poor and homeless"" Shame on you police officer.
Thanks to the kindness and the generosity of many people the homeless will at least feel they are not forgotten, good on you Schofield!!!!!
By neiman1

4/16/09 at 10:16 a.m.

Suggest removal

What law was the officer going to enforce. I understand they have laws about feeding the animals in the zoo, they belong to the zoo. Who owns the people they were feeding?

Police officers sometimes think the badge means they can enforce their will without regard to the law or the citizens rights. Watch this filming of a documentary filmmakers handcuffed outside the Walter Cronkite Center for asking questions about why Katie Couric was receiving an award. It is actually scary when you think about it. The PC police are out of control.

http://www.breitbart.tv/html/320303.html...
By lividpunk80

4/16/09 at 7:12 p.m.

Suggest removal

Hey don't hate i need working people to pay higher taxes because i need my food stamps and free health care. I have 12 kids and they need a place to live so the government needs to tax extra. if u work you have money so u can pay. I don't work cuz that's what the welfare is for. We need to keep having democrats so we can eventually get money for hair die and free cars. If someone worked hard to own or start a bussiness they should get taxed since they have money.