In ‘Operation Safe Streets’ Massachusetts Cops Round Up Homeless Drug Addicts And Bring Down The Hammer

Recently, “7 Investigates” released an article titled “7 Investigates: Holyoke police connect people with addiction to resources, care“

To me, this article was an obvious press-op for the Holyoke PD to present the illusion to the public that they’re taking addiction seriously and implementing new solutions instead of simply jailing people for personal use possession.

This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Police departments in Western Mass and Connecticut have been cracking down on society’s most abominable villains: homeless people who are hopelessly addicted to drugs.

Nevermind the rampant gun crimes, upper level fentanyl traffickers, and government fraudsters; police departments across New England are launching elaborate drug-crackdown operations targeting the hopelessly diseased and getting them the treatment they need: jail.

Recently, Holyoke kicked off “operation safe streets” with the help of the ATF, FBI, and local police deparments. The operation has yielded over 200 arrests, and 650 traffic stops so far.

One area officers targeted was Soucey park, a park in Holyoke where many drug users congregate to purchase and use drugs openly.

Contrary to the 7 Investigates article that painted the police as rescuers focused on connecting users to care and treatment, the police department has been less than compassionate when it comes to offering solutions.

Of the 200 arrests carried out by the police, I’d guess the majority were homeless drug users charged with possession, conspiracy to possession, and wrongfully charged with intent to sell.

As a criminal defense lawyer in Holyoke, I’ve seen all the police reports filing in after this sweeping operation, and almost 90% of them are homeless people caught with personal use drugs.

But because the primary aim is to lock up these people and throw away the key, the charges brought against them are intentionally harsh.

If you’re lucky, you get charged with 1 count of possession. If you were with a friend, you get 1 count of possession, and then an additional charge of “conspiracy to violate the MA drug law.” Conspiracy to possess? Is that not the most batshit thing you’ve ever heard.

If, god forbid, you have an amount of drugs that an officer considers to be, “in their experience and knowledge,” an amount that reflects an intent to distribute, then you get an additional charge for drug dealing.

But cops and prosecutors aren’t typically substances abusers. Their knowledge and experience when it comes to what amount of drugs qualifies as “personal use” is kind of irrelevant.

Western Mass has a severe drug problem, and to say that 30 bags of heroin found on a homeless person reflects an intent to sell is absurd. Many users stockpile drugs if they have the opportunity to, that way they don’t have to go back into highly policed drug market places where they risk getting arrested.

MA Has One Good Thing Going For It

In Massachusetts, if you can show that you’re seriously addicted to drugs and that risk becoming a harm to yourself, a judge can approve your petition to be “sectioned.” When you’re sectioned you get sent to a state drug rehab that prescribes you methadone and offers drug classes and services for up to 90 day.

Some lawyers are very much against sectioning a person, but I think it’s a step in the right direction.

Personally, I think a lot more funding should be allocated to state rehabs. There’s no real chance of a users entertaining the idea of sobriety when they’re languishing in jail.

Many users ask to be sent to solitary confinement to be given a private area where they can ride out their withdrawals.

Other Solutions

Homeless drug users are experiencing serious illnesses. It’s not just drug addiction, a lot of the time it’s a combination of other mental health issues with addiction being symptomatic of trauma and depression.

To believe that the appropriate punishment or treatment for a person who is hopelessly addicted to drugs is to throw them in solitary and let them ride out debilitating withdrawals alone in a cold cell is ludicrous. And to applaud the police for rounding up the homeless and throwing them behind bars is equally sadistic.

These peoples’ biggest crime was being a public eyesore. And besides the slight disturbance they may cause to more privileged members of society, within their immediate communities they’re hardly creating a public disturbance because everyone around them is also using or selling drugs.

Obviously, as taxpayers and members of the community we should focus on containing this problem. But the problem has already exploded out of control, we’re past the point of assigning prophylactic measures.

At this point, it really is about damage control. How do we at least start to minimize the damage that’s been done?

Instead of focusing on ridding the streets of homeless people, we should have an actual and genuine push for more rehab, and target upper level drug dealers and networks to stymie distribution networks.