Local police have been targeting homeless people recently and last night I was one of them. Especially on nights when rain is forecasted, I will often sleep in an area behind stores in the downtown area. Above most of the stores are condos. The stage theater is the only business in the immediate area that might still have workers inside after the last performance when I arrive for the night. I respect the businesses nearby and only go there late and I get up and leave early. Many if not most of the residents and workers nearby who have actually seen me are fine with me being there. They socialize with me and have on occasion brought me food. One such resident who also owns one of the nearby businesses is an ex-police officer.

Last night the officer--who happened to have a dog with him--went out of bounds to come to the area where I was staying purposely looking for someone homeless. He said I can't stay there, that I am trespassing, and threatened to arrest me if I came back the next night. I stayed in that spot all last summer and thus far with my "neighbors" welcoming me, so I asked if someone complained. I didn't get a straight answer at first. He first said that HE is complaining. Eventually he admitted that there was NO COMPLAINT made by anyone that I was there, but said that someone will. The way he said it made me wonder if he had a friend whom he could ask a favor to call and "complain" about me sometime. It would be an easy thing to fake for someone like that--just say they live in the area or that they were walking by and saw me. The officer having the dog was an obvious 2nd tactic to actually try and come up with an immediate arrest because so many homeless are on illegal drugs, and the dog would be able to smell the drugs making for an easy arrest. I am *NOT* happy and with my PTSD and the way I react to legal matters with police and the courthouse, I have a serious freakin attitude right now that is actually surpassing my emotional instability when it comes to things like this! I feel like I have been challenged--like I SHOULD go there again or purposely harass them my own way--being on the edge and waiting for their harassment attempt only so it can backfire at them. I could respect if an actual complaint was made, but NONE was made and the officer took it upon himself to decide my fate and say that I was trespassing. I am so freakin pissed off right now! I'm applying my bad attitude toward ALL the cops now--even a certain one who works well with and seems to like the homeless and I've liked. He's going to see some PTSD next time he says anything to me! That might surprise him.