The El Paso County Sheriff's Office, in concert with local community groups, has stepped in to address the issue of homelessness along the banks of Sand Creek. A collaborative cleanup operation, drawing on the resources of the El Paso County Code Enforcement Unit and the non-profit Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful, targeted a sprawling encampment deemed both a trespass on private property and an environmental concern.
Notices to vacate, complete with details about the cleanup schedule, were posted at four makeshift camps close to Highway 24 and Peterson Road. Before the eviction, an outreach effort was initiated to the scant number of residents, a male and a female, informing them of their trespassing status and directing them towards support services available through local organizations.
In an operation that started on the brisk morning of April 8, deputies from the Sheriff's Office provided backup to the cleanup crew amidst the dense piles of debris. "Operations such as this are essential for the safety and well-being of our community," stated El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal in a release. "During these well-organized events, my deputies and local partners restore private property rights, ensure environmental clean-up efforts, and offer valuable, immediate resources to those in need," the El Paso County Sheriff's Office stated.
The extensive cleanup required two full days due to the sheer volume of refuse affecting the area. In the aftermath, the previously cluttered and inhabited space along Sand Creek had been cleared and the natural conditions restored, adhering to the region's environmental standards and property rights. "I thank our partners at Code Enforcement, Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful, and my deputies for their continued efforts to ensure the rights of our citizens are protected, and the natural beauty of the Pikes Peak region is maintained," Roybal added, as per the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
