Polson roundtable focuses on homelessness, protecting businesses

Interim Polson Police Chief George Simpson gathered with Main Street business owners at City Hall on a Friday morning last month to discuss strategies for handling a growing houseless population in the community, and its impact on their establishments.

“One thing we have failed to do as a department is to reach out, especially to the businesses on Main Street, and ask ‘What is the problem?’” Simpson said.

Simpson was named acting police chief after the resignation of longtime police chief Wade Nash this spring. He led the meeting off with a call for questions and concerns about the current affairs on Main Street.

Asked why he organized the meeting, Simpson said he wanted to hear directly from the community about issues they were facing.

“I felt that it was crucial for me as the leader of this department to hear the community’s concerns,” Simpson said in an email statement. “They are part of the solution. It is never a police department’s place to unilaterally decide what is best for the people we serve without hearing about the people’s concerns.”

Businesses like Good Coffee and Two Nineteen Main were among those who attended to talk over some strategies the Polson Police Department could perhaps use to help protect businesses along Main Street.

The major topic was Polson’s increasing population of unsheltered people and how business owners felt that different downtown areas, including benches that line Main Street and the alleys, were becoming popular spots for those without housing.

One roundtable participant and member of the Polson’s church community recommended vouchers and other church programs that could help the houseless population.

Some business owners suggested measures such as more frequent police presence on Main Street or even removing the benches in front of businesses.

One community member chimed in to say that bench removal is hard since many are inscribed with the names of notable community members or organizations.

“I wanted to get a bench that had arms on it so you couldn't lay down on it,” Good Coffee co-owner John Russell said about the benches in front of his business. “That didn't happen, but we've been having problems with people sitting and smoking on it.”

Russell also said people were ripping open garbage behind his business, which prompted talk about cleaning up the alleyways.

Simpson voiced support for an alley cleanup and encouraging smokers to move off Main Street.

“If we do the things we’re supposed to do and address what we’ve got here, maybe the benches won’t be an issue and they’ll go back to being benches, right?” he said.

There was mention of long-term solutions as well, including better access for mental health resources and programs for families who are struggling due to the nationwide housing crisis.

The conversation veered from business owners to a discussion of the issues home owners face, including break-ins and suggestions about how to notify the police of “shady activity” near their homes.

While this meeting was meant for Main Street business owners, many came with questions about the houseless population in Polson and where people legally could and could not be.

Simpson clarified that people are not allowed to spend the night in city parks. He also noted that there is an extra patrol list that officers review for vacant or for-sale houses in need of extra protection.

Suggestions were made about who to call and why – including a mention of responding to someone throwing a chair in a bar. Simpson mentioned that calling the police is important and that the department has a non-emergency line for issues that do not require crisis responses.

Some solutions, like more police presence and cleaning the alleyways seemed popular. One suggestion was to use the Polson High School football team’s Rent-A-Pirate, a program that allows a person or organization to donate money to the football team and have players help out.

Another idea was to develop a group of volunteer officers who could keep an eye out late at night for irregular activity. Simpson mentioned that a community watch like that requires some sort of officer training but he does think that it can offer a good solution for crime reduction in residential areas.

“A team like that has its benefits,” he said.

Conversation wound down with business owners planning a tentative recap for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 22.

For more information or questions about protecting your business, contact the Polson Police Department’s non-emergency number at 406-883-7301.