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OCSD: outreach-first approach continues for homelessness; pilot outreach app to create case records
Summary
The Orange County Sheriff's Department told the committee it will continue an outreach-first approach to homelessness enforcement, is piloting an Esri-based application to document contacts and build a paper trail, and noted the consent decree affecting county practice expires in July.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department briefed the Public Safety Committee on Feb. 25 on ongoing homelessness outreach and enforcement practices, saying the department’s posture remains outreach followed by enforcement when outreach fails.
A department representative said the Boise and Grant’s Pass court decisions were overturned but that a county consent decree remains in effect until July. The department emphasized outreach as its primary approach and said staff are piloting an Esri application that deputies will use to document contacts, offers of services and outcomes.
“We document and we offer services and we basically create that paper trail,” the presenter said. The purpose of the application, the department said, is to create records that show prior outreach and service offers so that enforcement actions later in the process have documented antecedent efforts.
The committee heard that the city’s Homeless Liaison Officer, Amber Garcia, has increased enforcement of nuisance- and camping-related municipal code provisions in certain areas while continuing outreach. The department said enforcement steps are intended to follow repeated outreach and documented refusal or failure to accept services.
No new policy was adopted at the meeting. Committee members asked about interagency differences and documentation procedures; staff said they would continue to coordinate with the sheriff’s office and report on the pilot’s outcomes.
