Four Tulsa Police Officers Begin Special Duty Due To Aggressive Panhandling

Editor's note: This is the fourth story in a series where Emory Bryan looks into the homeless situation in Tulsa.

Four Tulsa police officers are on special duty downtown because of an increase in aggressive panhandling. They're also investigating some break ins connected to transients.

The new police unit went on duty Monday and it's a 90 day assignment to deal with reports of not just more transients in more places, but also people being threatened if they don't give them money.

The Centennial Green downtown is a new hub of homelessness, but it's a recent change with a new group of people.

8/25/2014 Related Story: Homeless Seeking Shade, Water At Downtown Tulsa Park

Kelvin Batten works right next door and is just one of the people who have called police about aggressive panhandlers.

"You can't even come out the door without people asking you for money, asking for cigarettes, and if you don't give it to them, they get upset,” Batten said.

He said it's a new, younger crowd he hasn't seen before.

8/28/2014 Related Story: Experts Seeing Younger Homeless On Downtown Tulsa Streets

The police are responding to more reports nearby of car and business break ins tied to transients, but the majority of complaints are about people sleeping outside, leaving trash behind and using the bathroom around buildings.

"We're not trying to cause issues; we're just trying to sleep,” said Heather Winters.

Winters is 22, pregnant and homeless, and said she sleeps in the park because she's afraid in the shelters.

“Sometimes just sleeping out somewhere under a bridge or in a park by myself I feel safer because I'm not surrounded by people I don't know,” she said.

On Thursdays a crowd of homeless people moves over to the First Baptist Church Caring Center for cold drinks, a meal and message.

"The crowd has gotten a lot younger and we don't know all the reasons the younger people have grouped up and come downtown, but the more they come together, it seems to bear with it some other problems,” said Pastor Eric Costanzo.

He said it's important to treat homeless people as individuals and recognize some people cause problems and some do not.

8/29/2014 Related Story: Tulsa Leaders Look For Solution To Aggressive Homeless Minority

“It is difficult sometimes when people are somewhere where they don't seem like they fit, but the truth is that everybody needs somewhere to go,” Costanzo said.

The police unit is called the downtown impact team and they're working with the blessing of downtown business owners and the social groups that serve the homeless.