Following the incident that occurred on March 4 resulting in an unsheltered person receiving minor injuries, City of Topeka staff have reviewed the policies and procedures in place when performing camp abatements on public property. We would like to make the public aware of some of our safety protocols when performing a camp abatement.
Following the review, the Behavioral Health Unit (BHU) and Property Maintenance Unit (PMU) will now mark all cleared tents and structures with a visible “X” to indicate to machine operators that the structure has been checked. Previous safety measures that will continue include having personnel remain in close proximity after doing a walk-through to ensure the structures stay vacant until the operators begin removing them. Personnel will also continue to conduct an initial ‘light touch’ before removing a structure where a person could be present as well as a final walkthrough to ensure all structures have been properly checked and marked.
The city will continue to review its protocols to ensure a systematic, humane, and accountable approach to clearing illegal camping sites while prioritizing the safety of residents, animals, and cleanup crews.
Due to the sanitation and health hazards of the encampments along the Kansas River, the abatement is scheduled to resume on Wednesday, March 12, if weather permits.
The city is continuing with its investigation into the March 4 incident.