The NYPD is moving to deploy extra police officers to 125th Street to deal with the hundreds of homeless people in that community. NY1's Dean Meminger filed the following exclusive report.
Not an easy task for officers trying to convince a drunken homeless man to get off the street at Park Avenue near 125th Street.
Dozens of police have been stationed in this Harlem neighborhood this summer to deal with the large numbers of homeless people hanging out around 125th Street and sleeping on sidewalks.
Homeless people I spoke with didn't want their faces shown while talking about their situations.
"The majority of the time, they let us sleep, but they make us move bright and early in the morning time," said one homeless person.
It's not hard spotting the homeless. Many have shopping carts full of luggage and garbage bags of belongings.
Police Commissioner William Bratton toured 125th Street this month and will be moving even more police officers here.
"I'm going to be assigning a specially dedicated squad of officers to that area, all of whom will be trained on dealing with emotionally disturbed, understanding the issues of homelessness," Bratton said.
In a summer of complaints about the homeless around the city, the situation here has become especially problematic. Large numbers of homeless people are gathering each day because of nearby shelters, rehab clinics and a bottle redemption center. Some use synthetic marijuana, a cheap and powerful high that has become popular.
"You have almost 1,000 homeless who come off of Randalls Island each day, are bused over to 125th Street and that general vicinity, and then for the day, they are in that area," Bratton said.
Bratton says the new squad of officers will help to coordinate services with the rehab clinics in the area and the shelter on Randalls Island, a more comprehensive approach by the police, in keeping with Mayor Bill de Blasio's promise to do more than just rouse the homeless.
Some are skeptical.
"They don't want to see the upscale people that come through Harlem to see the homeless," said one homeless person.
Another man, who was just released after 10 years in prison, says he's sleeping on the street because he fears getting into a fight in a shelter and ending up back behind bars.
"I ask God every day to give me the strength, you know, to make it through this," he said.
Clearly, there are numerous reasons why people become homeless, and it is a difficult issue to resolve. But one man that lives here in Harlem says he wants them forced off of the streets.
"When you walk by, they ask for money, so I give them a couple of dollars. Well, one day, the same two guys came and bust through my door and robbed me," the man said. "I don't feel sorry for them. Get rid of all of them."
Others have argued that the homeless need to be treated with more compassion.
The special squad of NYPD police headed to Harlem has a big task ahead.