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Original poster

what would you do if you saw a homeless person in a field?

58 replies

EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 07:07

saw a man i assume picking blackberries once or twice year in a field i walk my dog, pehraps it was once
i came home and checked the police website

OP posts:
Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 07:22

@Elodie2019 does your dh have his backpack on when out? Hmm is he really that unkempt,
i doubt it,

OP posts:
ThanosSavedMe · 03/09/2019 07:24

Just because some has a backpack and looks unkempt doesn’t mean he’s homeless. Maybe he didn’t want to wear his suit for traipsing round fields and picking blackberries

What are you worried about? What did you want the police to do?

EskewedBeef · 03/09/2019 07:24

I'd do nothing. If I was asked if I'd seen that person, I'd confirm I did.

I don't really understand what you're getting at, op.

ShirleyPhallus · 03/09/2019 07:25

Maybe he’s taking photos of horses in the field of the lady next door? Wink

greentheme23 · 03/09/2019 07:27

What has his being homeless got to do with anything? Did you mean you saw him in a tent? He was picking blackberries. I don't understand what you are getting at?

Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 07:27

I assumed he was picking blackberries,
i could tell he was homeless,
i checked website
somebody else obviously called the police about him.

he is a missing, vulnerable person.

OP posts:
Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 07:28

what am i worried about?
there are homeless missing vulnerable people - should something be done?
think of their family?
just walk on by, assuming they are ok?

OP posts:
Livebythecoast · 03/09/2019 07:29

ShirleyPhallus that thread was hilarious!Grin

MoggyP · 03/09/2019 07:37

I'm lost - you were walking in a field, and encountered police asking after a person whose description matches someone you saw blackberrying a year ago

I think in these circumstances, as you have already told the police what you know, then you do nothing.

greentheme23 · 03/09/2019 07:38

You are making a ton of assumptions there. Just because someone looks 'homeless '. It doesn't mean they want to be found by their relatives and hassled by the police. If you talked to him and he said he was desperate then fair enough but you haven't. Go and ask him if he's okay next time and offer to get him some food. That's the human thing to do.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 03/09/2019 07:39

I volunteer for a homeless charity. We always ask the public to report anyone who they think is homeless to us, not to the police. We can then assess the situation and see if the person wants or needs help at all.

People are homeless for all sorts of reasons, they may not want to be in contact with their family, they may have a dislike for the police and refuse to cooperate with them.

If there is a homeless charity or organization local to you then contact them.

bettyrollinscampbandage · 03/09/2019 07:45

There's not a lot the police can or would do about a homeless man minding his own business. I agree with an earlier PP who said that they would only mention it if directly asked as part of an ongoing investigation.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 07:54

thanks Waxon,
that is great advice

OP posts:
twofournine · 03/09/2019 08:05

Let's hope you never go blackberry picking whilst looking scruffy OP 😂

ThanosSavedMe · 03/09/2019 09:07

Your latest posts put a different slant on it. It might just be me but you initially came across as wanting to report him for being homeless not trying to help or support him.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 09:10

I was concerned and also nervous, quite isolated on the walk, but now I feel bad that I did nothing

OP posts:
AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore · 03/09/2019 09:17

As Waxon says, if I saw someone who I was concerned was rough sleeping, I'd alert a local charity who are able to send a support worker out who will have the ability and skills to engage and work with the person in whatever way they needed: police would not be my first port of call. However, prior to being involved with them i probably wouldn't have know what to do, so I don't blame you for doing nothing, OP.

DinosaursWouldEatYou · 03/09/2019 09:18

@ShirleyPhallus 🤣🤣 that thread made me chuckle!

EskewedBeef · 03/09/2019 09:22

Oh bloody hell, it's the horse owner!

MandSReadyMealForOne · 03/09/2019 09:24

This is a baffling thread. Reporting rough sleepers to local charity outreach lines is a good call, especially during winter months but this man was just in a field picking fruit. How can you even be sure, 12 months on, that the man you saw in the field a year ago is the man the police were describing?

I live in a small city where, like most places, we’ve seen an increase in homelessness and rough sleepers in the last 12-18 months. If I saw a homeless person or a person who looked like they might be homeless just walking in a field picking fruit from the hedgerows, I certainly wouldn’t head home and check the ‘police website’. Confused. Bizarre.

Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 09:25

Not sure he was picking fruit, I assumed, as said already

OP posts:
MandSReadyMealForOne · 03/09/2019 09:27

I’m confused. So when did you check the police website and phone them? A year ago? Or recently, having spoken to the police when they asked if you’d seen a man in the vicinity?

Original poster
EleanorReally · 03/09/2019 09:27

Cities are different to rural areas

OP posts:
EskewedBeef · 03/09/2019 09:28

Oh bloody hell, it's the horse owner!

Oh no it's not, sorry, I got confused Blush

MandSReadyMealForOne · 03/09/2019 09:31

I’m aware that cities are different to rural areas but pretty much all areas have seen an increase in homelessness and vulnerable people (even if it is an increase of 0-1). Did you check his identity after you’d seen him, a year ago, or after the police questioned you?