Police sweeps have become passe in the field of fighting vagrancy, and in the run-up to the inauguration, D.C. opted for recently tested, more comprehensive approaches.

“If the goal is to reduce crime, and that’s the only goal, then sweeps can be an effective strategy,” said John Roman, a law enforcement researcher at the D.C.-based Urban Institute. “But if you care about the well-being of the people, it’s not good unless you link to services.”