Police in Portland arrested 12 people during an enforcement operation targeting an illegal campsite near the intersection of Southeast 103rd Avenue and Southeast Foster Boulevard.
According to the Portland Police Bureau, officers carried out the arrests Tuesday morning while clearing the camp. Authorities said each arrest was made because the individuals had outstanding warrants, not solely for camping violations.
Police spokesman Mike Benner said the action followed months of complaints from residents about alleged criminal activity linked to the site.
Several other people staying at the campsite were offered shelter services during the operation, and nine accepted assistance, police said.
Officials noted the camp was located partly on public land and partly on private property that has a long record of code violations. Photos released by police show the remains of a structure that had previously burned down on the property.
Multiple city agencies took part in the enforcement effort because the issues on private property fell outside the responsibilities of the city’s usual campsite removal team.
Authorities said officers did not find any firearms at the site. However, they seized about nine grams of fentanyl during the operation. Afterward, city contractors cleared the area.
Police-led enforcement of Portland’s camping ban began on Nov. 1, and during the first month 124 people were arrested, averaging about four arrests per day. Officials have not released weekly enforcement updates since that time.
Because part of Tuesday’s operation involved private property, it remains unclear whether the arrests will be counted among the city’s official camping ban enforcement statistics.
The city continues to track campsite removals through a public data dashboard, which shows that the number of camps cleared each month has remained relatively steady since last July.
Portland’s approach to removing homeless camps has sparked debate among city council members, with some suggesting cuts to funding for the city team that handles campsite removals. Others have strongly opposed the idea, pointing to the city’s ongoing efforts to remove tents and recreational vehicles from public spaces.
Benner said it is unusual for police to make as many as 12 arrests at a single campsite during one enforcement operation.
Leave a Comment