‘Camping’ law enforcement coming
One local nonprofit talks to the Dispatch about preparation.
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The Saratoga Springs Department of Public Safety along with the nonprofit organizations Shelters of Saratoga, and RISE, issued a joint press release announcing that the city will begin to enforce the “no camping” restrictions on Saratoga Springs’ city streets.
“In the days ahead, the Saratoga Springs Police Department (SSPD) will be working in partnership with Shelters of Saratoga (SOS) to engage with individuals who are in violation of the ordinance, with the goal of helping them access safe and stable housing,” the press release said. The law was approved by the Saratoga Springs City Council in a 3-to-2 vote after a long and contentious city council meeting, July 1.
Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Coll had told the Dispatch that policies and procedures will be worked out with the police officers to ensure safe and legal implementation of the law before they begin to enforce it.
Asked if the publication of the press release means that those policies are complete, Coll wrote in a text message to the Dispatch that “They are not finalized, but I will check with the chiefs on Monday.”
The "Camping prohibited on certain public property" law makes it illegal to sleep, lie or sit on or in any city property (parks such as Congress Park have different rules and are not subject to the law), or in any doorway that is adjacent to a public sidewalk; to place camping materials on any city property, lie across any public bench on any city property, sit on any curb of any street or landscaped area, or place any item or items of personal property within any landscaped bed of any city property.
The law creates carve-outs for people who break the rules due to a medical or other emergencies, for people sitting to watch parades and demonstrations and for dining at city-approved tables.
Although Coll has said his department will enforce the law on all people equally, it is largely expected that majority of people ticketed will be homeless, and many will have substance abuse or mental health issues.
According to the press release, “this initiative complements the department’s ongoing collaboration with RISE, which includes a peer-to-peer counselor embedded within the Police Department. This counselor provides compassionate outreach to individuals struggling with mental health and substance use challenges.”
Shelters of Saratoga and RISE provide emergency shelter, housing support, substance abuse counseling and mental health support and programming to homeless people in the region.
Police are expected to issue appearance tickets to people who break the law. The ticket comes with a $100 or $250 civil fine, but the object of the ticket is to get the person in front of Judge Francine Vero in the city’s Community Outreach Court. From there the person can be enrolled in various support programs, proponents of the law have said.
Duane Vaughn, the executive director of Shelters of Saratoga, often called SOS, said his group is happy that the Department of Public Safety has been talking to public safety “since before this [legislation] was passed…We want to work together.”
He added that he believes that many people will avoid the ticket and the trip to court altogether.
“The SOS piece of this, before they even get ticketed, before they get steered to judge Vero’s court, is can they get steered to us?” he asked rhetorically. His belief is that will happen quite a bit given the relationship they have developed between his organization and the Public Safety Department.
He said some of the people who will be approached by the police are already working with SOS.
Detractors of the law said at the July 1 City Council meeting when the law was passed that the number of homeless people who may be brought into the legal system under the new law may overwhelm resources that are already stretched too thin.
Again, Vaughn was more optimistic. SOS will have 31 beds for clients in September when a renovation is completed on one of their buildings. They have 15 beds currently.
He said he realizes there is a lot of tension around the law.
“We’re not interested in the politics,” he said. “We’re interested in doing our jobs.”
This is an ongoing story. We will have follow-ups in the coming days and weeks.
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