To the editor:

“If you build it, they will come.” I was reminded of this with regard to the homeless camp in North Lawrence. While I applaud the generosity of city officials, I’m concerned that not enough attention is being spent on public safety, especially for those who live and work in this neighborhood and other areas with homeless camps.

As I advocated more than a year ago, city officials ought to mandate a policy whereby to camp on public property, homeless individuals must abide by certain rules (e.g., respect private property, clean up garbage, etc.). Those who won’t abide by the rules should be prohibited from camping on city property.

I sympathize with our police chief in trying to figure out how law enforcement might deal more effectively with the homeless and agree with his assertion that the city “can’t arrest its way out of this problem.” Nevertheless, the current “hands-off” approach by some law enforcement described in Sunday’s article “What’s police role in homeless issues?” does not appear to be working. Homelessness is no excuse for criminal behavior. At a minimum, the police should increase patrols around homeless camps.

Ray Finch,

Lawrence