Another account of homeless men being dropped off by Mississippi police has occurred, despite the Mobile and Biolixi’s mayor’s correspondence through letters a month ago on the issue. On November 9, NBC 15 news released an article that detailed an anonymous man’s interaction with homeless men from Mississippi. He recounts that the men were dropped off on Hwy 90 with duffle bags in hand. One man, who threatened to jump off of the roof at the Waffle House on Dauphin Street, was taken to a nearby hospital and questioned.
The homeless man stated that he was from Pascagoula and was dropped off, by a police officer, in Grand Bay.
Sheriff Burch commented on the conversation between him and the homeless man, “I’m paraphrasing, but he basically said that the officer with Pascagoula talked to him about going to jail or I can take you to Mobile Alabama.”, he stated in NBC 15’s news article. This is unconstitutional. Somehow both the Biloxi Police Department and Pascagoula Police Department have dropped homeless people off in Mobile. There is no question about the increase of homeless people downtown. I have heard many people describing the rampant conditions and have seen them myself. Homeless people are even in neighborhoods off of Ann St. and very close to McGill-Toolen High School.
In response to this incident, Sheriff Burch wrote a letter to the mayor of Pascagoula, Jay Willis, and mentioned that the displacement of homeless people is unconstitutional. He writes, “I am sure that both you, your legal counsel, and the Police Chief are aware that freedom to travel, as well as the freedom to stay in a location, city or state, is constitutionally protected.”
Our city is in the middle of some huge changes, from the annexation of West Mobile to Mayor Stimpson’s efforts to fix our roads and sidewalks, so when Mississippi contributes to our withstanding issues, Mobile’s progression increasingly slows.
In my opinion, Mayor Stimpson should absolutely get the FBI involved. This is an invasion of Mobile’s and the homeless’s constitutional rights. While I am positive Mobile would be willing to extend a hand to help Mississippi, there has been no evidence that a partnership is facilitated by the law or permission from Mobile authorities.
For more information, visit NBC 15 News at https://mynbc15.com/news/local/sheriff-pens-letter-to-mayor-over-allegations-of-pascagoula-police-shipping-homeless-to-mobile.
