The Bend Police Department will not be involved in the enforcement of recently approved Title 4, or the camping code, unless a crime is being committed.
Bend Police Chief Mike Krantz told us camping on public right-of-ways, after March 1, 2023, will be an “low level violation.” This means the police would only have the ability to issue a citation, not to arrest or move anyone.
“The goal is to not have police involved,” said Chief Krantz.
Instead, the City of Bend will enforce it and will try to get voluntary cooperation as a first step.
“We have code enforcement officers through the City of Bend so we have folks that do code enforcement typically on private property as well as folks doing code enforcement on the rights-of-ways,” said Bend City Manager Eric King.
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King added that city officials will be there to explain the new codes.
“The code enforcement is just there to talk about the rules that we have in place: the time, place and manner,” said King.
Additional resources will accompany the enforcement officer to assist the unhoused individual.
“Mental Health, addition treatment, services, things like that. That is not something we have training for. That would be typically the county or a nonprofit service provider,” said King.
If police are involved:
“We could issue a citation. We’re not very reliant on the citation. I just do not know if that will be a solution. It’s an option,” said Krantz.
Krantz also explained there is no warrant system in place through the municipal court, so if homeless people are given a citation and cannot pay it, there is little enforcement or actions taken against them.
