Policing the Homeless and Addicted: Compassionate Care or Harsh Treatment?

SAN FRANCISCO—Tom Wolf, a former heroin and fentanyl user, experienced homelessness for six months in San Francisco’s infamous Tenderloin district in 2018.

Throughout that time, he faced multiple arrests for drug possession and other charges, eventually spending three months in jail before entering a six-month inpatient treatment program.

“Jail was a lifesaver for me,” he stated.

Now in recovery, Wolf acts as a recovery advocate, pushing for significant policy changes around drug treatment. He established the Pacific Alliance for Prevention and Recovery, a nonprofit organization in the San Francisco Bay Area, which collaborates with the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions to advocate for reforms on the West Coast.

In 2023, Wolf joined Robert F. Kennedy Jr.—now President-elect Donald Trump’s selection for Health and Human Services secretary—in a tour of the Tenderloin district to highlight the severe issues of homelessness and drug addiction affecting San Francisco.

Wolf spoke to The Epoch Times, expressing his desire to reshape societal views about the ongoing drug crisis and introduce evidence-based strategies focusing on prevention, treatment, recovery, and education.

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Part of Wolf’s mission includes advocating for “reasonable approaches” to curbing the influx of illegal drugs through stronger law enforcement measures.

He noted, however, that the decriminalization of illicit drug use and initiatives diminishing law enforcement’s role in addressing addiction have weakened police authority, hindering their ability to guide addicts towards recovery.

“Regrettably, this is an error,” he remarked. “Individuals on drugs sometimes require accountability, which law enforcement can provide.”

Reflecting on his experience as a homeless drug user, Wolf shared that without intervention—specifically by law enforcement—he would not have stopped using, even after suffering from sepsis.

“In my situation, it was thanks to the police,” he recounted.

His time in jail created a structured environment, allowing him to become clean and sober through medication-assisted treatment that included suboxone.

“I was given a choice: stay in jail or enter treatment,” he explained. “I chose treatment, and now I’ve been clean for six years.”

Preliminary data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that there were approximately 107,543 drug overdose fatalities nationwide last year and 111,029 in 2022.

“That approach was effective,” he noted. “It indeed slowed the spread of HIV and hepatitis C.”

The meaning of “harm reduction” has evolved over the last forty years, now encompassing a broader range of strategies related to drug use, such as decriminalization and legalization.

In 2014, California voters supported Proposition 47, which downgraded penalties for specific drug and theft offenses from felonies to misdemeanors.

A report from September by the Public Policy Institute of California indicates this policy change, along with law enforcement strategies during the pandemic, has resulted in a steep decline in arrests for drug and property crimes.

“A reduction in drug arrests may lead to lower incarceration rates, as evidenced by declines in jail and prison populations. However, fewer drug arrests may also create fewer chances for individuals to receive drug treatment. Some untreated individuals might resort to crime—particularly property offenses—to finance their drug habits.”

The institute further noted that it found no evidence suggesting that reductions in drug arrests following Prop. 47 or the pandemic resulted in increased crime rates.

Wolf asserts that such strategies could generate additional negative consequences, such as “people using drugs on the streets and camping out in front of supervised consumption sites, with drug dealers operating directly across the street.”

This new legislation grants judicial discretion to charge repeat offenders with felonies carrying sentences of up to three years, while also prioritizing mental health and substance abuse treatment by allowing more repeat offenders access to rehabilitation programs instead of incarceration.

Defenders of the “harm reduction” approach argue that recent spikes in overdose deaths are linked to the prevalence of more potent and dangerous drugs, claiming a safer supply of drugs is necessary, according to Wolf.

“Now they’re distributing foil, pipes, and straws, encouraging individuals to smoke their drugs instead of injecting them,” he explained.

Wolf described these policies, particularly on the West Coast, as ineffective.

“The data no longer supports the harm reduction approach,” he asserted.

Wolf advocates for policies that promote and fund recovery from addiction as the primary solution, stating that the “harm reduction” model fails to address the fundamental trauma that leads individuals to addiction in the first place.

“The same harm reduction policies that existed before the surge of illicit fentanyl in the United States and Canada are still in place today, yet this drug doesn’t heed harm reduction; it simply kills—being 10 to 100 times more potent than heroin,” warned Wolf.

For the 2023–24 financial year, the department allocated about $720 million for behavioral health, with approximately $661 million set aside for 2024–25 and $607 million for 2025–26.

Wolf asserts that to effectively address addiction in San Francisco, there must be a significant increase in state funding to expand treatment facilities into the thousands.

“Instead, state and county authorities have concentrated almost all their resources on low-barrier housing policies that permit drug use,” he noted. “This approach isn’t delivering the intended results, and necessary investments in treatment are lacking.”

SROs and NGOs

Roxanne Hubbard, a crack addict residing in a nonprofit-run hotel in the Tenderloin district, remarked to The Epoch Times that sobriety isn’t a condition for her housing.

“Even if that was the case, there aren’t community meetings… They don’t even attempt to organize support groups. There’s nothing,” she detailed. “There was no rulebook when I moved in here. I smoked crack then, and I still do.”

At 44, Hubbard reflects on her emancipation from her Navy family at 17 and her transition to the Larkin Street Youth Center.

“I faced numerous challenges growing up. My family life was turbulent,” she explained. “I was homeless and remember wandering around without shoes, navigating life in a tent.”

Hubbard contributes $320 monthly towards her rent in her Single Residence Occupancy unit, commonly known as an SRO.

“I just got out of a relationship, which was particularly hard right when I secured my housing,” she recalled. “I believed he would support me, but he left, claiming he was doing me a favor. Many folks aren’t ready to leave the streets.”

She described her living conditions: the room was cramped, unfurnished, poorly ventilated, and infested with cockroaches.

“I was astonished when I first saw my room,” shared Hubbard. “I envisioned a happier living situation—something like the image of a white picket fence. I had never encountered bugs while sleeping outdoors in tents. It was surreal.”

Despite her grievances, she appreciates having a private bathroom, a significant improvement compared to her previous SRO where shared facilities presented hygiene issues.

Housing First Policies

Housing First initiatives assume that individuals who are disabled due to untreated mental health issues or addiction should be provided immediate housing with minimal requirements, suggesting that only by securing them a stable environment can they effectively address these challenges, according to Wolf.

While it may seem logical on paper, Wolf claims the actual implementation of such policies presents a very different reality.

“Due to the low entry barriers, the system often ignores drug use and untreated mental health issues,” he stated. “They merely classify these conditions as part of a person’s disability.”

At present, those seeking housing must actively pursue programs, which is often challenging for individuals battling drug addiction, Wolf explained.

“They need encouragement to access these essential services,” he remarked. “That’s the stark truth. Otherwise, individuals would find recovery within those facilities, and that is not happening.”

JJ Smith, a local activist whose brother, Rodney, succumbed to a fentanyl overdose in 2022 while using a “harm reduction” kit in the SRO where he resided, attributes chronic homelessness and drug addiction to decriminalization initiatives.

Possessing drug paraphernalia was previously a criminal offense—paraphernalia that is now part of “harm reduction” kits, according to Smith. Cities like San Francisco are now funding NGOs to distribute these what he terms “death supplies” to addicts, while law enforcement remains powerless to intervene.

“Ultimately, whether in San Francisco or other American cities, reducing the size and authority of police departments while decriminalizing drug use and possession remains the only viable solution,” asserted the ACLU.

The ACLU has not replied to a request for comment regarding its support of housing first and harm reduction policies, citing unavailability of a spokesperson in an email to The Epoch Times.

Treatment Programs

Wolf, who found his path to recovery through a Salvation Army program in San Francisco, believes that state and county governments are not investing enough in proven organizations.

He attributes the root of the issue to politics and policy choices.

If harm reduction strategies are to be effective, they should primarily focus on easing access to methadone and suboxone for addicts; despite existing concerns regarding these substances, they are considerably less harmful than fentanyl, he added.

“Accessing suboxone isn’t merely a matter of waking up and obtaining it from the guy at the Salvation Army. You need a prescription and must visit an external clinic daily for your methadone or suboxone, and then return,” he pointed out. “This illustrates where harm reduction can act as a beneficial resource.”

Under California law, individuals cannot be arrested and detained for illicit drug use unless they are determined to be “gravely disabled” or present an immediate risk to themselves or others—such as in the case of intentional self-harm or severe violent behavior.

Despite the high overdose risks, a person consuming fentanyl on the street is generally not considered to pose an acute risk. Certain individuals may be involuntarily detained under what is known as a “5150,” permitting police, crisis team members, or mental health professionals to hold an individual who is undergoing a mental health crisis for up to 72 hours for evaluation.

Last year, California Governor Gavin Newsom enacted Senate Bill 43, a behavioral health initiative aimed at alleviating homelessness and addiction through involuntary commitment for individuals unable to care for themselves. This law took effect on January 1, 2024, but permits counties two years to comply—a course of action that 56 of the state’s 58 counties have chosen to pursue.

Housing and Recovery

California’s Proposition 1—approved by a narrow majority of voters in March—renames the Mental Health Services Act from 2004 as the Behavioral Health Services Act, expanding its reach to encompass substance use disorders, even for those without co-occurring mental illnesses.

Proposition 1 authorizes $6.38 billion in bonds for housing aimed at homeless individuals and veterans, which includes up to $4.4 billion for mental health and substance abuse treatment facilities.

Although it “may serve as a game-changer,” Wolf stated that it could take a decade or more to accurately assess the impact of Proposition 1.

Wolf has also urged the state to pass legislation that would transform how California allocates funds for permanent supportive housing, allowing for up to 10 percent of these funds to support drug-free recovery housing that champions abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

Although AB 2893 passed the Assembly with a 60–0 vote, it was altered in the Senate Housing Committee and subsequently shelved in the Senate Appropriation Committee.

“This means it was effectively killed this year, but we can resurrect it next year,” Wolf stated.

‘Times Are Changing’

Erica Sandberg, an independent journalist in San Francisco, remarked to The Epoch Times that the push to defund the police has significantly diminished the city’s law enforcement resources.

“It hasn’t just affected manpower; it has hampered their ability to enforce laws,” Sandberg noted. “We’ve witnessed substantial decline in public order, leading to increasing chaos. The situation has become dire.”

Sandberg recently completed a course with the Community Police Academy, which she claims revealed the challenges police officers face on the streets amidst restrictive regulations.

“Harm reduction has strayed far beyond reasonable boundaries, moving towards practices many would consider irrational—like distributing meth pipes and fentanyl foil,” she stated.

Sandberg criticized the so-called “harm reduction” kits, asserting they merely prolong addiction without offering paths to recovery.

“These initiatives do not help individuals cease dependency on these hazardous substances,” she argued. “Countless people are employed in harm reduction roles that effectively perpetuate addiction rather than ameliorate it.”

Nevertheless, Sandberg harbors hope that newly elected San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie will take concrete steps toward addressing homelessness and addiction challenges.

“The journey to recovery is complex, and meaningful change will require time, but I believe we are shifting in the right direction,” she stated.

While some might argue that tackling these issues is easier in theory than in practice, Sandberg remarked that the recent election results symbolize a powerful public desire for substantial reform.

“The election outcome exemplifies a collective rejection of the status quo; it signifies that the current approach is no longer acceptable,” she stated.

Sandberg also highlighted Trump’s victory as indicative of a broader cultural shift, especially concerning sanctuary laws that prevent police from reporting illegal immigrants to Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE).

“Many individuals come to San Francisco illegally and engage in fentanyl sales, contributing to immense suffering and loss of life, yet we maintain a sanctuary law that obstructs reporting them to ICE,” she contended. “This policy must be reassessed, especially as the Trump administration aims to address the border crisis.”