Police activity at an Ann Arbor homeless shelter has raised concerns among members of the community.
Executing “warrant sweeps” for non-violent offenses at places like the Delonis Center is against protocol at theAnn Arbor Police Department. This is to avoid discouraging people experiencing homelessness from utilizing their services.
A recent Facebook postaccuses the AAPD of seeking out someone with an outstanding warrant near the Delonis Center.
Dan Kelly is the executive director of the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County. He says guests just want to feel safe and that can mean a lot of different things.
“That can mean not feeling like someone is going to come in and pick you up on some kind of non-violent warrant, or it can be mean, saying like, 'OK, if there is a problem I have, the police are going to come here to help.'"
According to the AAPD, there have only been four arrests near the Delonis Center since November. Three were results of 911 calls.
A fourth was a wellness check on a man sleeping in the bushes, and the officer recognized him as having an outstanding warrant. The situation is still being investigated.
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