U. helps honeless out of cold

For the Philadelphia-area homeless, the winter cold can be more than just uncomfortable -- it can be dangerous. Low temperatures and freezing wind chill two weeks ago caused the deaths of three Philadelphia residents -- including one homeless man who froze to death in a gas station at 39th and Lancaster streets January 18. When weather conditions reach such dangerous levels, University administrators said, Penn takes action to save the lives of homeless people around campus. Vice President for Government, Community and Public Affairs Carol Scheman said the University's usual priority is to work with programs which provide permanent help and support to homeless people. But Scheman noted that when weather becomes as severe as it did two weeks ago, "our interest is of course to get people off the streets so they're not freezing to death." Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush explained that University Police take proactive action to help get homeless people off the street whenever the city institutes a policy known as "Code Blue," typically ordered whenever temperatures drop below freezing. After a Code Blue has been ordered, the department will then search for homeless people out on the streets and transport them to nearby shelters -- using force if necessary, said Philadelphia Police Corporal Jim Pauley. While Philadelphia Police stations can act as temporary shelters in Code Blue situations, Rush said University Police officers work with the city officers to transport homeless people around campus to the nearest city shelter -- the 18th Police District headquarters at 55th and Pine streets. Rush said she saw "at least two cases on paper" where University Police officers transported homeless people to shelter during the period of cold weather two weeks ago. But Director of Community Relations Glenn Bryan stressed that there is a deeper level of University involvement with the homeless problem outside of immediate concerns during periods of cold weather. He explained that the University has a cooperative relationship with three local programs providing counseling and other assistance to homeless people around campus. "Homelessness is not a police problem," Bryan said. "It's a human life problem that needs multiple types of intervention." But in dangerous conditions, Bryan said the University's concern is " to immediately provide relief and to save lives." Other Philadelphia-area universities have similar policies whenever cold weather is a danger to homeless people around their campuses. Temple Police Officer Robert Lovell said the university's police department tries to get homeless people into shelters whenever temperatures drop to dangerous levels. "We talk to them and try to get them inside and get them assistance," he said. Lovell added that when it is "really cold," Temple officers assist the Philadelphia Police with Code Blue operations. Drexel University security officers do not actively help homeless people to shelter, according to Drexel Public Safety Director Rick Cottom, but instead report cases of homeless people on campus to Philadelphia Police. "We contact the police to let them know they need to be taken in," Cottom said.