Our homeless community, fellow human beings who are already facing the daily struggle of surviving on the streets, are being subjected to unnecessary harassment and excessive force by those who should protect them - our law enforcement officers. This situation is personal to us. The respect for human dignity demands that the plight of our homeless friends should be addressed with compassion - not with verbal and some physical abuse., and in some cases nationwide excessive abuse with batons and pepper spray.

Homelessness has been a persistent issue in America. According to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development, there were over 567,000 homeless people in the United States on a single night in January 2019. Sadly, the imbalance of power between the police officers and this vulnerable community often results in instances of intimidation, harassment, and excessive force. We believe this is unacceptable and needs immediate rectification.

We are calling for the implementation of mandatory, specialized training programs for all police officers to handle incidents involving homeless individuals with empathy and consideration. Such programs have been successful in places like Houston, where the HPD Homeless Outreach Team has reduced the homeless population by 50% since 2011 through focusing on a humanitarian, helping approach rather than a harmful one.

This is not meant to criticize the police force as a whole, but a call to improve it for the betterment of society. Developing conscientious and compassionate perspectives among law enforcement agents can go a long way in ensuring the homeless are treated with the respect and fairness every human being deserves.

We urge you to support this petition to make a difference in the lives of the countless homeless individuals who are unjustly treated. Sign this petition today, to create a more just society for all.