Operation Harass the Homeless

Sheriff Mike Winters maintains that it is not a crime to be homeless in Jackson County and yet at the same time, on Monday morning he spearheaded a campaign to break up 40 homeless camps along the Bear Creek Greenway. For seven and a half hours, approximately 100 officers from 11 agencies, including a private helicopter forced the homeless off public lands.

Law enforcement say they were reacting to the recent rape of a 15 year old girl who was attacked on the greenway on March 4. One of the suspects in this case has been arrested. Police are not sure if the other two men involved are transients.

The Mail Tribune reported that during the sweep, 19 people were cited for various offenses including trespassing and prohibited camping. Twenty out of 22 people had criminal backgrounds. They also reported that they referred people to homeless shelters. The 15 year old girl was turned away from a shelter on the night of the rape.

While the gospel mission is not full, many area homeless do not want to stay there. Many have drug or alcohol problems and the mission requires a code of behavior that some are unable to meet.

No reports of how much money local agencies spent on the homeless sweep on Monday have been released.