Targeting the Homeless on Light Rail

Here is a story that Magalie Lerman of Praxus sent me about being harassed on the light rail while being homeless.

Mother's Day morning 2009, I was waiting for the light rail on 18th and California. I was going to visit my adopted mother. I had a bag of laundry in my arms as I was currently homeless, and she had offered to let me do laundry while I was visiting her. I looked homeless as I was carrying everything else that I owned on my back and was wearing the same clothes I had been wearing all week. A couple of construction workers had been waiting for the same train. When the train came and I sat down, one of the construction workers pulled out a police badge and asked for my fare. He was undercover. There were several other people on the train who the cops passed to get to me. He had not asked any of these other people to show him their tickets. I explained to him that I did not have fare and was just trying to go see my mother on Mother's Day. This was not my first offense riding without a ticket. I had been caught 3 years prior riding without fare a well. I was issued a $60 ticket. I could not pay this ticket. A warrant was issued for my arrest. I was on probation at this time. I called my probation officer when this happened ad told her about the incident. She told me I better find a way to pay it. She did not tell me about resources I now know about, such as Homeless Court which occurs on the first Friday of every month. Here a person can get any homeless related offense, such as riding RTD without fare, dismissed in exchange for community service. When I went to go to my next probation appointment, I got arrested on the spot. My probation was revoked, and I spent 3 months in Denver County Jail.