SCPD now enforcing "'anti-lodging" law at City Hall

by Becky Johnson
August 17, 2010

Santa Cruz, Ca. -- At 1:45AM, Santa Cruz Police swept through Peace Camp 2010 in a wave of ticketing, rousting sleeping bodies and telling them that "they can't stay in a place where people don't want them to be,." They wrote three citations, made no arrests, and left. None of them were for the Sleeping Ban.

Instead, in yet another legal turn more twisted than a Seaside Company roller-coaster, officers issued three 647 (e) misdemeanor "anti-lodging" laws instead of the famed "Sleeping Ban" which is the purpose of the protest.

It can't be fun for them. Last night, seven different raids resulted in zero tickets. "We have a new strategy here at Peace Camp,"explained spokesman, "Curbhugger" Chris Doyon. "No tickets if we can avoid them." Two campers, at each end alerted those sleeping of the police raid, so that by the time officers arrived, people were sitting up and no sleeping citations were issued.

The night before, 5 citations were written, and a pregnant woman was arrested.

Tonight they "caught" three. But the Sleeping Ban was not the law they chose to cite under. Could their legal department have told them to stop citing under the law? Officers had no answer for those who begged officers for a place they could go and legally sleep.

"You've been warned," one officer told a sleepy couple he had awakened. "If you stay in this place where people don't want you to be, you will be arrested." It's not like they could stay in the shelter.

According to DANIEL WHITE of the Homeless Services Center, the only shelter that they could stay in during summer is the Paul Lee Loft. It has a 4 - 6 week waiting list and a 30 day limit on staying there.

A reporter from the City on a Hill Press took photos as 72-year old, COLLETTE CONNALLY was awakened, id-checked, cited for illegal "lodging" and left with a yellow citation. Campers rolled out their blankets and went back to sleep. Never a dull moment at Peace Camp.