The Sergeants Benevolent Association—an NYPD police union—has started a Flickr campaign encouraging people to photograph the homeless because they aren't paid to protect them, too (sarcasm.) In a statement (that can be also double as a rant) released by SBA president Ed Mullins, he says:
“As you travel about the city of New York, please utilize your smartphones to photograph the homeless lying in our streets, aggressive panhandlers, people urinating in public or engaging in open-air drug activity, and quality-of-life offenses of every type.”
Their goal is to "create accountability across the board” because, of course, the NYPD feels some type of way about not being able to choke someone out, having to identify themselves, and a bunch of other things that you can read here. The title of the campaign suggests that as well. We did not know being homeless is a crime. They should try to help some of these people find a shelter rather than shaming them.
[via The Gothamist]
