NOREEN: Signs of intelligent life in local agencies

Some light leaked through the clouds this week, evidence of intelligent, compassionate life on the planet.

In one case a law enforcement agency stepped up to the plate; in another, a law enforcement agency took a step away. Both agencies made the right move.

As shocking and disgraceful as it is that a community of half a million people does not have a functioning detox facility, the first ray of light came from El Paso County Sheriff Terry Maketa, who suggested a detox operation could be built next to the county jail.

Then the Colorado Springs Police Department decided to get out of the transient camp cleanup business, leaving it to advocates for the homeless to accompany cleanup operations to make sure no one's rights are violated.

Maketa readily acknowledged that taking on the responsibility for the detox unit "certainly isn't the role of the sheriff."

Maketa's plan may not work for all who need a detox facility. But since Feb. 1, our community has had no detox operation at all, so Maketa's willingness to think outside the box deserves serious attention.

With the closure of a detox facility by the Pikes Peak Behavioral Health, Maketa said, "the problem doesn't go away. It gets pushed to another area."

Like hospital emergency rooms, for instance.

Within six weeks or so, Maketa said the detox operation "could be run out of our metro work-release facility." Later, buildings could be constructed, funded by a combination of sources.

Most agencies connected with detox generally like Maketa's idea. That's good, because as Maketa said, "I've got to have all the community work with me."

The Colorado Springs Police Department responded to complaints from homeless advocates that trash cleanups of transient camps had turned into sweeps in which valuables were thrown away. Under a tentative agreement, police will no longer go along on the cleanups and no illegal searches of transients' property will be conducted.

"This isn't a police issue," said Police Chief Richard Myers. "We're actually planning on stepping back from it a little bit."

In past sweeps, homeless people say, workers have trashed prescription medicines, identification papers and clothing.

Advocates for the homeless have volunteered to accompany Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful workers when trash cleanup is done. No one has argued the cleanups aren't necessary, but they can be done more humanely.

Rick Duncan, president of the Colorado Veterans Alliance, told the city council Tuesday that the changes, including advance notice to transients of the cleanups, "are great."

In each case, a law enforcement agency re-evaluated its role in dealing with a maligned minority. Both agencies made the right move.

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