The residents of Sonoma Springs are concerned about the crime committed by homeless people

Vandalism, garbage, harassment and alleged drug use, in which the homeless population was involved in the Sonoma Springs, were among the inhabitants of the topics that were discussed on a meeting of public security at the El Establishment on May 13th.

The representatives of the Sheriff office of Sonoma County, which was organized by Supervisor Der District 1, Rebecca Hermosillo, by Sonoma County District 1, Rebecca Hermosillo, visited the Sheriff's office of the Sonica County Sheriff's Homefirst Sonoma and Sonoma Applied Village Services (SAVS) on Rathall.

The residents gave the opportunity to ask questions about what was done to appear alleged incidents of crime and vandalism on the Temporary Springs Plaza, Agua Caliente Creek and the home and safe village in Boyes Hot Springs.

The town hall forum takes place according to a flood of social media activities that complain about the alleged dumping, crime and drug use in the community, which the residents attribute the estimated 100 homeless who currently live in Sonoma Valley.

“I never had to call the sheriff in the five years in which I lived here,” said resident Jack Allan. “[I’ve seen] People throw stones in cars, run on the traffic, make donuts open to dirt bikes and drugs on the street. It's not a good view. “

Others also said that the situation concerns local companies.

“They harass the employees to the point where two women hid a crowbar behind their counter because they are afraid,” said a resident in Springs, who identified as a Lindsay. “This is unacceptable.”

The chief of police from Sonoma, Brandon Cutting, was present and represented the Sonoma County's sheriff and said the solution was not as easy to enter and arrest.

“From the perspective of the law enforcement agency, if an offense is committed outside of our presence, we do not have the lawful authority to enforce the law unless a victim is ready and says:” Hey, that is what I saw, “said cut.” If the victim is not there, we have no enforceable law. “

The cutting emphasized that his department focused on long -term solutions to support the courtful community in the region, and that “services, not cleanup” were the first priority.

Not all participants criticized the situation and said that parishioners should have more understanding and compassion for their homeless neighbors.

“I am pretty sure that if I did not live on the street, I couldn't find a place where I could use the toilet, my face could not wash, had no safe place to sleep, I would be bats -damn, damn quickly,” said the resident Iris -Lombard.

Another resident, Josette Brose-Eichar, who began to organize independent clean-up work of the temporary place, asked the neighbors to work together to solve the situation.

“I think we just have to work with these people and stop the crap of social media and come together as a community and work with them to help them, otherwise it is just craziness,” said Brose-Eichar.

Officials of the Sonoma County Health Services found that the department only have 15 case managers and two clinicians for mobile crises for the estimated 2,500 homeless who live in the county for the estimated 2,500 homeless people.

“We cannot solve this problem as a district government, we cannot solve it as a state as a federal government, as a non -profit organizations we have to need all to participate,” said Nolan Sullivan, director of the Ministry of Health of the Ministry of Health. “So for those of you who appeared this evening, that's huge.”

You can reach the personnel author Isabel Beer at 707-933-2734 or Isabel.beer@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @isabelsongbeer