Local group, Quality Of Life Reno has canceled its previously scheduled Saturday event at Pickett Park after police went to the park Friday and offered resources to those people.
Police tell us officers informed people of Saturday's previously planned event by the local group Quality Of Life Reno where they said they would make Citizen's Arrests of those living in Pickett Park illegally. QOL has since announced that they are canceling that event.
City of Reno released this statement to 2 News:
"Homeless Liaison Officers were on site today to speak with citizens and offer them resources. They were not forced to leave however, but were made aware of city rules and regulations, along with other opportunities for help in the community."
ORIGINAL STORY:
A local group called Quality Of Life Reno is resorting to an unusual method to reduce the number of homeless people in the park. The group says that on Saturday, it's going to make Citizen's Arrests of those living in Pickett Park illegally.
Details about where Jennifer lives aren't exactly clear. After all, it's not your conventional home. “I currently reside in a tent in Pickett Park,” said Jennifer, who asks that her last name not be used, but who lives in a tent in Pickett Park.
The group Quality Of Life Reno is hoping to change the park where Jennifer calls home. The group is planning to crack down on homelessness in the park, by conducting Citizen's Arrests of those who are living there.
“It's the most compassionate thing you can do and it leads them to motivate themselves to get into programs or move on,” said Paul White from Quality Of Life Reno.
White says the people living in the park are breaking the law. “It's just a matter of them making it a permanent living space which is illegal. Storing stuff in the park is illegal. Being under the influence is illegal. We would just send them to court."
White says QOL Reno’s activity planned for this weekend, involves cracking down on what it considers violations. “A Citizen’s Arrest is simply contacting a police officer who will be out here, about violations of the law. And that you wish to file a complaint,” said White.
He also says the group does not plan to use violence while they attempt to make these arrests. "A Citizen’s Arrest doesn't require that you hold them or pin them down or touch them in any way,” said White.
The Reno Police Department says that it prefers Citizen's Arrests to be done by trained security professionals, rather than your average citizen. “One of the concerns would be them not understanding the law. They may believe something took place that might be a crime. And that something may not be a crime,” said Reno Police Department Public Information Officer, Travis Warren.
As for Jennifer, she just wishes QOL Reno would take a different approach. "I probably would feel less angry about it, if they were coming to educate us about Reno’s resources," said Jennifer.
The Reno Police Department says officers do plan to be in the area at 10 A.M. on Saturday, when the activity is supposed to start. The department says they'll monitor the situation and determine their actions on a case by case basis.
