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56 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, March 18, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 16, 2005 Richard Albers, left, and �Indian Charlie� were back camping along Bear Creek Tuesday after a sweep of the Greenway by law enforcement the day before. Local shelters reported no increase in the numbers of clients served after the sweep. Mail Tribune / Bob Pennell Homeless return Greenway camps rise just hours after police sweep popular path in response to a rape By DAMIAN MANN Mail Tribune Curled up in his sleeping bag nursing a beer Tuesday morning, Richard Albers was trying to warm up after a chilly night outdoors. Authorities expelled Albers and others out of 40 transient camps along Bear Creek on Monday morning in an effort to stamp out illegal camping. "They chased us out of camp," Albers said. "We gathered up everything we could and left a lot of stuff behind." By Monday night, Albers and five of his friends were back setting up a new campsite near the Barnett Road off-ramp on Interstate 5, overlooking Bear Creek. Advertisement About 100 law enforcement personnel swept through the Bear Creek Greenway from Central Point to Ashland Monday after a 15-year-old girl was reportedly raped at a transient camp in Medford on March 4. Albers’ situation points to the difficulty authorities have in keeping the homeless out of the Greenway and in finding a long-term solution to homelessness. Medford Police Lt. Tim George said it’s almost impossible to restrict access to the Greenway since it is open to the public, but he felt this sweep and others conducted in the past do have some effect on deterring transient camping. "It’s a continuous problem that we have to spend a considerable amount of time and resources on," he said. Sharon Schreiber, executive director of Interfaith Care Community, said she didn’t notice any increase in people coming for help Monday after the sweep. "It really didn’t change a whole lot, but if it makes people feel safer, well, than that’s something," she said. "We still served the same people that we’ve always served." On Tuesday morning, lying on a grassy area overlooking the creek after drinking a few beers, Albers and his friends complained about the police taking their belongings. "Our parents taught us not to steal," said one of Albers’ friends, who refused to be identified. "How come they could come and steal our stuff?" George said officers allowed transients to claim their things, but added, "There was nothing salvageable. Most of it was junk." Police officers gave transients a list of places they could go to seek help. They even offered to buy 50-year-old Randall Tanner a bus ticket to see his mother in Colorado if he came to the police station. "He didn’t show up," said George. For Medford police, it is a problem getting help for people who have chosen to live on the fringes of society. "The sad fact is that a lot of these people have extensive criminal histories, drug and alcohol abuse problems and serious mental health issues," he said. Interfaith, which serves 40 to 60 people a day, has also found it more difficult to help the homeless. "The federal government wants to abdicate all responsibility for social services and throw it back into the laps of communities and churches," said Schreiber. Bill Gourley, executive director of the Medford Gospel Mission, didn’t see anyone from the Greenway sweep showing up, nor did he expect it. "We’ve got rules and regulations and that’s not what they want," he said. "They have to be sober here." Marv Samuelson, commanding officer for the Salvation Army, also said he didn’t see any increase in traffic Monday night. Samuelson said his organization requires people to pass a urinalysis or breathalyzer test to make sure they stay off drugs and alcohol. "We offer an extended care facility for someone who wants to resolve their homelessness problem," he said. Homeless people like Albers said they remember similar Greenway sweeps in the past. Albers, who usually moves to the Applegate area in the warmer months, shrugged and offered a wry smile when asked where else he could spend the night if there was another sweep soon. "Over there," he said, gesturing to a spot a few feet from where he spent the night. A veteran who pegs his age at about "50-something," Albers said he’s tried living in shelters before. "I can’t get into the missions," he said. "I called the mission leader’s wife a b——." He dismissed the idea of applying for disability because he has a hard time walking and suffers from various aches and pains. "I feel like a cowboy who got off a Brahma bull," he said. "I drink beer. Yeah, it’s my pain killer." Reach reporter Damian Mann at 776-4476, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. 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