Kalispell police clearing out transient camps

KALISPELL, Mont. – Kalispell police are rounding up people living in transient camps around a park because of a large amount of garbage and human waste.

On Thursday, Kalispell police officers cleared the woods of temporary residents who remained and they’re working to keep them from coming back.

Police stapled notices onto trees around the park and the Stillwater River footbridge warning that people living in makeshift shelters and tents in the park could be arrested for criminal trespassing.

Eight Kalispell Police officers combed the woods for any of the temporary residents who remained on Thursday.

Kalispell Police Patrol Capt. Tim Falkner said five people were cited for trespassing and released.

“Last week when we posted the signs, we think at least there were several dozen. Evidently our fliers worked, because we only came across five or six today,” Falkner said.

“We’re always dealing with transients, but I’ve never seen it this bad back here, not with camps,” Falkner said.

Officers also confiscated bicycles, a patio heater and child bicycle trailers.

Falkner said shelters are available for people who are homeless.

Police said they were responding to complaints of disputes, campfires, drinking in the park, aggressive panhandling and concerns about safety and sanitary conditions, the Daily Inter Lake reported (http://tinyurl.com/gqy53ss ).