http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/12/what-works-albuquerque-homeless-solution-housing-policy-214527

The hypocrisy of the Berry Administration is revealed and buried in this Politico Magazine article.

The temporary job-van program reported is having a positive impact on the homeless population in Albuquerque.

Mayor Berry deserves credit and recognition for the program that was his idea.

But there is a big difference between doing what someone says versus how they are represented and perform through their staff and who they put in charge.

Berry may have come up with the program to help the homeless, but it was his Chief Public Safety Officer Darren White that said “take the gloves off” to remove the homeless from downtown Albuquerque costing the city $98,000 to settle a case.

Berry declined to comment to Politico Magazine if he was aware or approved of White’s orders.

Years later, the Albuquerque Police Department (APD) gets training to deal with the mentally ill and homeless only after homeless camper James Boyd is shot and killed by Albuquerque Police Officers Dominique Perez and Keith Sandy .

Berry was nowhere to be found for over a week after Boyd was killed.

The entire week after Boyd was killed, it was rumored Berry was out of town on a camping trip, but he has never confirmed where he was or what he was doing and the press never demanded information on his whereabouts.

The shooting of homeless camper James Boyd is the same case that APD Chief Gordon Eden said was a “justified” shooting in a press conference the day after the shooting.

Former APD police officers Dominique Perez and Keith Sandy were charged with the killing of homeless camper James Boyd, but a jury could not reach a verdict in the case.

Charges against Perez were dismissed, and a decision to retry Sandy is pending.

During the prosecution of Perez and Sandy, it was revealed that homeless camper James Boyd was well know to APD and to the APD Crisis Intervention Team.

During the Perez-Sandy trial, at no time was it revealed if the City made any efforts to reach out to Boyd to help him with shelter or any services.
The Berry Administration also likes to take credit for the “blue 911” signs at street intersections and freeway entrances asking those who are panhandling, need help with food, assistance, and shelter.

The blue signs are cruel and misleading to those who call because the signs give the false impression that assistance will be given to the caller by the City of Albuquerque.

311 is the Citizens Contact Center you call to get information on city government services such as bus schedules, large item pick-up or graffiti removal.

When people call 311 in response to the contact signs, all the 311 operators can do is provide contact information, such as phone numbers and addresses, to callers for charitable organizations or private or government agencies.

The 311 contact center cannot help at all other than to make referrals.

The chronically homeless usually do not have cell phones to call 311.

The greatness of a City is reflected in the way it treats its homeless and senior citizens.

Advocating for effective programs to help the homeless is great, but other actions are just as revealing or misleading.