Several unhoused people who had been living in an encampment near Trinity Parkway were left with nowhere to go after being evicted by Stockton Police Department on Tuesday.
The encampment sweep was touted by District 1 Councilmember Michele Padilla as “a new day in Stockton.” Padilla said the encampment had existed for 14 years in her district and when she ran for office in 2022, she promised her constituents it would be addressed.
Homeless advocates said the sweep was conducted without strategic planning by city leaders and that Stockton officials have not presented a long-term plan for addressing the homelessness crisis. They also questioned the show of force by the police department, San Joaquin County Probation and California Highway Patrol, as well as the overall cost of the sweep.
Show of force includes Stockton police, SWAT vehicles
As the sun rose, Stockton police closed the intersection of Trinity Parkway and McAuliffe Road. Police cruisers and motorcycles lined the street. Officers also set up a mobile command unit and stationed a SWAT vehicle near the levee where the encampment was located around 7 a.m…