Post by Mountain Times Editor on May 15, 2006 20:58:03 GMT -8
Residents of Mtn. Cove,
As your Azusa Police Department, Service Area Commander, I would like to update you on some current issues involving the river bed and bike trail. The police department has been receiving many inquiries and complaints from area residents and visitors to the bike trail in regards to the transient and homeless population in the area. The river bed along the bike trail in Azusa has become a magnet for transients and homeless people. They have set up numerous encampments along the river bed under the cover of the dense brush along the rivers edge. The situation has become intolerable for many reasons during the past year or so.
We all agree that there is a problem. Now, let me tell you what we are doing about it.
The property (river bed) is actually owned and governed by the Army Corps. of Engineers (Federal Government). I have met with them in the past few weeks and they have agreed to post the length of the river bed in Azusa with new "No Trespassing" signs. This should occur in the next week. They also provided me with a signed copy of a "willing to prosecute for trespassing" letter that will allow us to arrest after the river bed is properly posted.
I have also met with "Project Achieve" which is a homeless placement organization. They are going to assist us with placement of the Homeless who want to be helped.
We are going to give the people living in the river bed 30 days from the time the "No Trespassing" signs are posted until they must leave or face arrest for trespassing. During that 30 day window, officer's from the police department along with field workers from "Project Achieve" will walk the river bed several times contacting these people advising them that they must leave. We will try to assist them where we can. On the 30th day or so, we will evict and or arrest anyone still living in the river bed. Workers from the City of Azusa and the Army Corps. of Engineers will remove any property of value which we will store for 30 days, and all structures and campsites where transients had been living will be removed or knocked down.
We are still in discussion with the Army Corps. of Engineers as to whether or not they can cut down all the heavy brush in the area (environmental concerns) which provides concealment to these homeless encampments. Our goal is to make this a permanent solution, so visitors and residents like yourself can use this recreation area without concern for personal safety.
I hope this answers most of your questions. I ask for a fair amount of patience due to the fact that several other agencies need to be involved, and I have little control over their timetables for getting things done. The Azusa Police Department has been in the planning stages of this operation for many weeks. I encourage residents to be part of the solution with questions and/or comments, regarding this or any other issues in your neighborhood.
John Momot
Lieutenant
Azusa Police Department
626-812-3266
jmomot@ci.azusa.ca.us
As your Azusa Police Department, Service Area Commander, I would like to update you on some current issues involving the river bed and bike trail. The police department has been receiving many inquiries and complaints from area residents and visitors to the bike trail in regards to the transient and homeless population in the area. The river bed along the bike trail in Azusa has become a magnet for transients and homeless people. They have set up numerous encampments along the river bed under the cover of the dense brush along the rivers edge. The situation has become intolerable for many reasons during the past year or so.
We all agree that there is a problem. Now, let me tell you what we are doing about it.
The property (river bed) is actually owned and governed by the Army Corps. of Engineers (Federal Government). I have met with them in the past few weeks and they have agreed to post the length of the river bed in Azusa with new "No Trespassing" signs. This should occur in the next week. They also provided me with a signed copy of a "willing to prosecute for trespassing" letter that will allow us to arrest after the river bed is properly posted.
I have also met with "Project Achieve" which is a homeless placement organization. They are going to assist us with placement of the Homeless who want to be helped.
We are going to give the people living in the river bed 30 days from the time the "No Trespassing" signs are posted until they must leave or face arrest for trespassing. During that 30 day window, officer's from the police department along with field workers from "Project Achieve" will walk the river bed several times contacting these people advising them that they must leave. We will try to assist them where we can. On the 30th day or so, we will evict and or arrest anyone still living in the river bed. Workers from the City of Azusa and the Army Corps. of Engineers will remove any property of value which we will store for 30 days, and all structures and campsites where transients had been living will be removed or knocked down.
We are still in discussion with the Army Corps. of Engineers as to whether or not they can cut down all the heavy brush in the area (environmental concerns) which provides concealment to these homeless encampments. Our goal is to make this a permanent solution, so visitors and residents like yourself can use this recreation area without concern for personal safety.
I hope this answers most of your questions. I ask for a fair amount of patience due to the fact that several other agencies need to be involved, and I have little control over their timetables for getting things done. The Azusa Police Department has been in the planning stages of this operation for many weeks. I encourage residents to be part of the solution with questions and/or comments, regarding this or any other issues in your neighborhood.
John Momot
Lieutenant
Azusa Police Department
626-812-3266
jmomot@ci.azusa.ca.us
