25 August 2023
TOPEKA (KSNT) – Shawnee County leaders have decided to start cracking down on homeless camping throughout the area.
27 News reported last month that commissioner Bill Riphahn drafted the resolution in the hopes of deterring homeless people from crowding public areas. Thursday, Shawnee County Commissioners voted in favor of a resolution that would prohibit unlawful camping on all county property. This includes some updated definitions regarding homeless camping to, in part, better enforce the law.
Terms like camp, storing, temporary shelter and others are defined in the resolution. When these relate to the issue at hand, the county can better approach the situation. Riphahn says he wants the community to feel safe anytime they are out in public.
“Parks are all about aesthetics,” Riphahn said. “You want them to look good, you don’t want them trashed, you don’t want to be hassled by anybody. It’s critical that we have these resolutions in place so we can act.”
The resolution also states what the county should do when camps and other related items are found on county property. Riphahn says the county will now begin working with law enforcement to determine strategies to prevent unlawful camping in the Capital City.