Sweeps rid Truckee River of homeless camps

Monday, June 29, 1998 | 9:49 a.m.

Washoe County sheriff's Sgt. Bob Towery said only three homeless camps remain on the river, but deputies can't touch them since they're located on private property.

"The landowner won't let us on his property to do anything about it," he said, adding the camps are in the Verdi area seven miles west of Reno.

Towery said no other homeless camps have surfaced since more than 30 small shantytowns were dismantled in February and March as part of the "Take Back the River" program.

Inmate work crews also removed tons of debris and trash from the river's banks.

Since the camp sweeps, Reno and Sparks police have joined sheriff's deputies in stepping up patrols along the river.

"It's been an ongoing effort," said Sparks police officer Jeffery Jones. "We haven't seen more permanent-type campsites, but we have seen transients moving with their sleeping bags.

"They may sleep on the river, but move the next morning."

Reno police officer Jeff McCutcheon said his city's riverfront also has been free of permanent campsites.

"This will have to be a continuous maintenance issue," he said. "We're keeping an eye out this summer to make sure the camps don't return."

Local law enforcement authorities staged the sweeps in response to widespread citizen complaints.

Authorities estimate they received 5,000 calls a year from residents complaining about the homeless camps.

Homeless advocates sharply criticized the program, saying it unfairly targeted the homeless and mentally ill.

Many camp along the river because of insufficient community services to help them, advocates said.

But Towery said the program resulted in the referral of many homeless people to local social service agencies.