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DENVERPOLICEDEPARTMENT
r
-
ROBERT
C.
WHITE,CHIEFOFPOLICE
Dateofissue:5~19-12
Source:HomelessOutreachTeam
n.a.m.c.
§
38-8602-
UNAUTHORIZEDCAMPINGONPUBLICORPRIVATEPROPERTYPROHIBITED
IMPORTANT:Thisordinancedoesnotmakethestatusofhomelessnessillegal;rather,itprohibitsthespecificconductofunauthorizedcamping.Aperson'sstatusofbeinghomelessisirrelevanttothedeterminationofwhethertheordinanceisviolated.Whenfacedwithasuspectedunauthorizedcampingsituation,itisimportantforofficerstorecognizetheinitialfocusmustbeonascertainingwhetherthepersoniscampingasdefinedintheordinance,anddirectingthepersontowardservices,ifappropriate.Citingorarrestingapersonforviolatingthisordinanceshouldbetheresolutionoflastresort.Inallsituations,barring"lifethreatening"circumstances,acitationorarrestshouldnotoccurifanindividualisinneedofahomelessshelterorbed,expressesaWillingnesstoaccepthomelessshelterassistance,andtheofficerisnotifiedthatshelterspaceisnotavailableortheofficerisunabletoascertaintheavailabilityofashelter.
ThefollowingreflectsnewlyenactedrevisionstotheDenverRevisedMunicipalCode,regardingthecontact,evaluation,referral,citation/arrestandprosecutionofpartiesengagedincamping
all
publicorprivateproperty.
Sec.38-86.2.UnauthorizedCampingonPublicorPrivatePropertyProhibited.(a)Itshallbeunlawfulforanypersontocampuponanyprivatepropertywithouttheexpresswrittenconsentofthepropertyownerortheowner'sagent,andonlyinsuchlocationswherecampingmaybeconductedinaccordancewithanyotherapplicablecitylaw.(b)
It
shallbeunlawfulforanypersontocampuponanypublicpropertyexceptinanylocationwherecampinghasbeenexpresslyallowedbytheofficeroragencyhavingthecontrol,managementandsupervisionofthepublicpropertyinquestion.(c)Nolawenforcementofficershanissueacitation,makeanarrestorotherwiseenforcethissectionagainstanypersonunless:(I)Theofficerorallyrequestsorordersthepersontorefrainfromtheallegedviolationofthissectionand,ifthepersonfailstocomplyafterreceivingtheoralrequestororder,theofficertendersawrittenrequestorordertothepersonwarningthatifthepersonfallstocomplythepersonmaybecitedorarrestedforaviolationofthissection;and(2)Theofficerattemptstoascertainwhetherthepersonisinneedofmedicalorhumanservicesassistance,includingbutnotlimitedtomentalhealthtreatment,drugoralcoholrehabilitation,orhomelessservicesassistance.Iftheofficerdeterminesthatthepersonmaybeinneedofmedicalorhumanservicesassistance,theofficershallmakereasonableeffortstocontactandobtaintheassistanceofadesignatedhumanserviceoutreachworker,whointurnshallassesstheneedsofthepersonand,ifwarranted,directthepersontoanappropriateproviderofmedicalorhumanservicesassistanceinlieuofthepersonbeingcitedorarrestedforaviolationofthissection.Iftheofficerisunabletoobtaintheassistanceofahumanservicesoutreachworker,ifthehumanservicesoutreachworkerdeterminesthatthepersonisnotinneed
1
 
ofmedicalorhumanservicesassistance,orifthepersonrefusestocooperatewiththedirectionofthehumanservicesoutreachworker,theofficermayproceedtociteorarrestthepersonforaviolationofthissectionsolongasthewarningsrequiredbyparagraph(2)ofthissubsectionhavebeenpreviouslygiven.(d)Forpurposesofthissection:(1)"Camp"meanstoresideordwelltemporarilyinaplace,withshelter.(a)Theterm"shelter"includes,withoutlimitation,anytent,tarpaulin,lean-to,sleepingbag,bedroll,blankets,oranyformofcoverorprotectionfromtheelementsotherthanclothing.(b)Theterm"resideordwell"includes,withoutlimitation,suchactivitiesaseating,sleeping,orthestorageofpersonalpossessions.(2)"Designatedhumanserviceoutreachworker"shallmeananypersondesignatedinwritingbythemanageroftheDenverDepartmentofHumanServicestoassistlawenforcementofficersasprovidedinsubsection(c),regardlessofwhetherthepersonisanemployeeofthedepartmentofhumanservices.(3)"Publicproperty"means,bywayofillustration,anystreet,alley,sidewalk,pedestrianortransitmall,bikepath,greenway,oranyotherstructureorareaencompassedwithinthepublicright-of-way;anypark,parkway,mountainpark,orotherrecreationfacility;oranyothergrounds,buildings,orotherfacilitiesownedorleasedbytheCityorbyanyotherpublicowner,regardlessofwhethersuchpublicpropertyisvacantoroccupiedandactivelyusedforanypublicpurpose.
ENFORCEMENTGUIDELINESFROMTHECITYATTORNEY'SOFFICE
I.
PROHIBITEDCONDUCT:
a.CAMPINGonprivateorpublicproperty.CAMPINGmeanstoresideordwellwithshelter.b.Whenfacedwithasuspectedunauthorizedcampingsituation,theofficermustevaluatethetotalityofthecircumstancestodeterminewhetherthepersoniscampingasdefinedintheordinance.Inorderto"camp"onpublicpropertyapersonmustdomorethansimplyfallasleepontheproperty.Theremustbesomeindicationofactualcampingwhichincludesboth(1)residingordwellingontheproperty,and(2)somekindofshelter.Anindividualmaynotbecitedifonlyoneofthesecircumstancesispresent.Thefollowingmustexistbeforeanarrestorcitationunderthissectionisappropriate:
1.
RESIDEORDWELL:Theperson'sbehaviormustindicatemorepermanencethanmerelysleepingonaparkbenchorsunbathinginapark.Theofficermustlookatthetotalityofthecircumstancesforotherindicatorswhichcouldinclude,butarenotlimitedto,thefollowing:1.Thepersonhasbuiltacampfireoriscookingfoodonacampstovenexttoalaid-outsleepingbag;2.Thepersonissleepinginsideatentorsleepingbagorinsidesomeformoftemporaryshelter;3.Thepersonissittingnexttoatentoronasleepingbagorabedrollinwhichhehasalsostoredpersonalpossessions;4.Thepersonisobservedsleepingontopoforcoveredbymaterials(e.g.,.blanket,bedroll,cardboard,newspapers);however,theofficerwillhavetoconsiderotherfactorsifthesituationisambiguous.Forexample,thisordinancedoesnotprohibitanindividualfrommerelyfallingasleepinaparknordoesitprohibitanindividualfrom
2
 
simplysittingorlyingdownonapublicsidewalk.However,pleasenotethatthisconductmaybeprohibitedbyotherordinancessuchasObstructionofPublicPassageways§38-86orParkCurfew§39-3,SittingorLyingDowninthePublicRight-of-Way§38-86.1.5.Inevaluatingthetotalityofthecircumstances,theofficermayconsiderotherfactorsintheperson'simmediateenvironment,suchasthelengthoftimethepersonhasbeenthere,thetimeofday,orotherpossessionssurroundingtheperson(e.g.,food,cookingutensils,change(s)ofclothes,furniture,backpackorshoppingcartfullofpersonalitems).Allofthesecircumstancestakenasawholemaysupporttheconclusionthattheindividualistemporarilyresidingordwellingintheplace,
11.
SHELTER:Underthedefinitionofcamping,theindividualmustberesidingordwellingwithshelterorprotectionfromtheelements,otherthantheirclothing,suchasatent,tarp,sleepingbag,lean-to,bedroll,blankets,cardboardboxorplanking.'I.Ifthepersoniscookingfoodonacook-stove,butdoesnothave
any
itemofshelter,thenthatpersonmaynotbecitedunderthisordinance.Otherordinancesmayprohibittheconductdependinguponthelocation.
II.ENFORCEMENTREQUIREMENTS
(see
attachedflowchart):
1.Officerreceivesillegalcampingcomplaintorobservesviolationa.Enforceanyotherviolationsobservedonsite
i.
Determineneedforwarning/citation/jailb.EvaluateforDetox/hospital/MHH
i.
Transport/callforvanorambulanceifnecessaryc.Wants/warrantscheck-officerdiscretion
i.
Code5parties~jailororderind.Determineifthereisacampingviolation
1.
Ifno,nofurtheractionrequired
11.
Ifyes,enforcecampingordinance1.Informcarnperofordinanceandobservedviolation2.Informcamperofservicesavailable~shelters,etc.3.Askthemtocomplywithordinancea.Iftheycomply,callcompleteb.Iftheyrefuse,gotostep24.CompleteStreetCheck,marking"illegalcamping"underreasontype2.Officerissueswlittenwarningofviolationa,Explainviolationandwarningcitationtooffenderb.Directcampertosignviolationwarningform.i.Ifcamperrefusestosignwarningform,notate"Refused"onsignaturelinec.Completeastreetcheckmarking"illegalcamping"underreasontyped.Ifcampercomplies,callcompletee.Ifcamperrefuses,gotostep33.Officerattemptstoascertainifcamperneedshumanservicesa.Ifyes,makereasonableeffortstocontactstreetoutreachtorespondtothescene
i.
Ifcamperiswillingtocomplywithoutreach,callcomplete
ii.
Completeastreetcheckmarking"illegalcamping"underreasontypeb.Ifcamperisnotwillingtocomplywithoutreachcontactsupervisorforguidanceandassistance1.Completeastreetcheckmarking"illegalcamping"underreasontype
3
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