SALT LAKE CITY — Those experiencing homelessness in Wyoming are reportedly being sent to Salt Lake City as winter approaches, leaving Utah's capital city responsible for taking care of another state's homeless problem. However, one official says the article reporting the information doesn't tell the whole truth.
Wyoming Police Operations Lt. Russ Ruschill says the Jackson Hole News & Guide article that quoted a Jackson police officer about the homeless being transported to Salt Lake City isn't exactly correct.
"You're left with the impression that we're exporting our homeless problem to Salt lake City, nothing could be further from the truth we do not want people to freeze to death," he said.
The Wyoming town has an extreme winter climate, and one of the ways homeless individuals avoid these potentially deadly temperatures is by trespassing onto private property or to warmer areas leaving officers with few choices.
"We have the option to arrest and or cite them," said Ruschill. "We, as an agency, understand we cannot arrest our way out of the homeless problem that America is seeing right now."
Being given the option to go to Salt Lake City is just one of the options available to homeless individuals in these situations, and Ruschill says it's one of the more successful ones the city uses.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall sent a statement reacting to the story saying in part, "to know it's being done via manipulation of the criminal justice system is irresponsible, disheartening, and cruel at a humanitarian level."
The Pioneer Park Coalition, a business group dealing with the impacts of homelessness, isn't surprised that many decide to come to Utah.
"They found the opportunities for shelter and assistance that they couldn't get other places," said the group's James Behunin.
He also says it's not just other states that see Salt Lake City as a destination for their homeless populations, but other cities in Utah see it as a good place for them as well.
"It's a little more troublesome. We don't have much leverage over Jackson, Wyoming," said Behunin.
Behunin is aware of how homelessness impacts Salt Lake City businesses and residents.
"This is a burden to bear by our companies, and we're concerned that we're having to pay the costs and suffer the costs of the homeless in our community that are problems that are started in other communities."
Despite the obstacles, Behunin is optimistic about what Salt Lake City has done so far, but adds more resources are needed.
"Salt Lake City is doing a good job of addressing its own needs," he said. "We've been very aggressive in building new shelters; the problem is that housing and sheltering is not the solution for a large number of these folks."
