Pomona Police Close Homeless Camps

Acting on residents’ complaints, Pomona police shut down several homeless camps Monday and made arrests for drug and parole violations, authorities said.

Eight arrests were made during the 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. sweeps, said Lt. Darrell Cummings. Two homeless men were arrested for parole violations, one for possession of methamphetamine and five on outstanding warrants, Cummings said. Citations were issued for having shopping carts and for setting up camps in violation of city law, he said.

Dozens of people were moved out of the illegal camps around storm drains, in underpasses, near railroad tracks, in parks and near roadways, Cummings said.

Patrol officers and members of a community-oriented policing team known as STOP (Stop Trouble Occurring in Pomona) participated in the sweeps. Police tried to place homeless people in shelters, Cummings said.

Police say the camps generate crime, mostly burglarized vehicles and vandalism.