Police Department

City Hall Campers Asked To Relocate To Warming Shelters

Ofc. John O'Brien, PIO

Monday, December 10, 2018 at 8:20 a.m.

Spokane Police Officers ask subjects camping at City Hall, in violation of the Spokane Municipal Code regarding unauthorized camping on public property, to relocate to warming shelters. Two people, both non campers, were arrested for obstructing a law enforcement officer.

Sunday, December 9, 2018, around 10:00am, officers from the Downtown Precinct and the Civil Disturbance Unit participated in removing people camping outside City Hall. The subjects were in violation of Spokane Municipal Code 12.02.1010 Unauthorized Camping on Public Property. The property had been posted on Thursday giving the campers 48 hours to gather their belongings and use one of the warming shelters.

The warming shelter at 1428 W. Broadway has a capacity of 60 beds. 46 spaces were available last night. The House of Charity also had space available for females last night.

The Downtown Precinct Officers made contact with every camper this morning and offered them a referral to the warming shelters. Officers passed out socks to those who needed them while they waited for the campers to take down their tents, gather their belongings and depart.

Post Street between Spokane Falls Boulevard and West Summit Parkway was closed to vehicles to provide a safe environment for those packing up and to the personnel who assisted this process.

Two arrests were made during this incident and neither of the subjects appeared to have camped at the location last night. Alfredo F. Llamedo (59) and Charlie M. Johansen (20) both arrived after the beginning of this incident. Both were given the opportunity to follow the lawful orders given to them, however both refused and were arrested for Obstructing a Law Enforcement Officer. Llamedo and Johansen were booked into the Spokane County Jail.

Detention staff from the Spokane County Jail were on scene and assisted with the process of transferring custody of those arrested. Spokane Code Enforcement along with help from the Geiger Correctional Facility cleaned up the garbage left behind.

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