City of Stockton purchases two trucks to help with police cleanup operations
The Stockton City Council approved the purchase of two Chevy Silverados for the police department. One of their uses is to help in cleanup operations around the city.
Advocates for the homeless say this will only increase homeless camp cleanup enforcement.
The city council approved the consent agenda in late July, approving the over $150,000 purchase of two trucks from Maita Elk Grove.
"Beyond emergency response, these vehicles will play a key role in supporting cleanup operations throughout the city," Stockton police said."They can assist in helping individuals in need, transporting personal belongings, and reaching areas that may be difficult to access due to rough terrain or environmental obstacles.
"It would be used to pick up shopping carts and return them to stores. Also, with boats that are abandoned, we can pick those up and tow the boats with these trucks."
One person spoke out against the purchase of the trucks at the council meeting, hoping they wouldn't be used solely for cleaning up homeless encampments.
"Those are beautiful trucks, but we don't need those trucks for them to go chasing through fields of our unhoused people," said a concerned citizen.
The city recently cleaned up Trinity Parkway, a decade-old homeless encampment in north Stockton.
"It's a theme of 'let's round people up and let's force them into treatment,' " said Jessica Velez with Red Rabbit Advocacy Programs.
Velez says the trucks are one step in the wrong direction. She doesn't want the trucks simply moving people. Instead, she'd rather see the money go to helping people.
"We need to spend the money on alternatives, places where people are going to want to go. Then, once we've tried those options, that's when enforcement should happen," Velez said.
Velez points to places like the Oakmoore Golf Course, which the county purchased, that could potentially have some acreage become a low-barrier homeless camp.
Stockton police said this is a big tool to help them help the homeless, especially when they are displaced.