Before and after: Deputies remove Parkland encampment on private property, arrest 8

PARKLAND, Wash. — Pierce County deputies led a joint operation to clear out a large homeless encampment on private property in Parkland last week and arrested eight people with warrants.

Officers had been called to the camp on 149th Street South, between Pacific Avenue South and C Street South, numerous times for incidents such as shootings, assaults, stolen vehicles and overdoses.

The sheriff’s department also released a video showing what the property looked like before and after the cleanup.

People who lived there were also suspected to be responsible for many thefts from nearby homes and businesses, the sheriff’s department said.

Last Wednesday, deputies spoke with 60 people at the camp, the highest number of people at a single encampment since they started keeping records in 2018.

Eight people who had arrest warrants were taken to jail.

Everyone at the site was issued a trespass notification and told to pack their possessions and leave. A social services team was there to offer residents information on drug treatment services and housing.

On Thursday, deputies returned to ensure the camp was empty and walked through the area with the property’s owner and a contractor to evaluate the cleanup needs.

On Friday, the contractor removed all garbage from the property, including junk vehicles, travel trailers and human waste. The cleanup was completed by the end of the day.

Deputies said they are working with the property owner on ways to keep trespassers out.

The video below shows a “before and after” of what the property looked like when deputies arrived and what it looked like after contractors left Friday night.

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