Vehicle break ins at Sunrise area!

[Lance Gray]

I don't know where this thread went. I was in the process of writing on it. I hope somebody didn't take it down for it's content. It was something for the public to know.

My response!

Folks,

I have been struggling with guiding and doing tours on the American River, just for this reason.

Early this month I did a American River Steelhead Tour with three people. We did the normal tour starting up at Sailor Bar and traveling all the way down to Watt avenue. Everywhere we went there was homeless and trash everywhere. My clients where nervous and tell you the truth I was looking over my back the complete time (the Deputy in me). I just am amazed of the situation. We fished at Lower Sailor's Bar that day. One of the clients left early do to an appointment he had to keep. The other two fished with me. One of the my clients left to go back to his car for a wading staff that he forgot. He didn't come back so I went looking for him. I found him at his car with a smashed window and one of the most unprofessional park rangers I have ever dealt with. They took his change of close, his wading staff and a coffee mug. The unprofessional park rangers was blaming my client for being so stupid that he left a coffee mug in pan site. I step in and called the Sheriff's office and I told the park ranger to leave. She didn't like that. The Sheriff's office took the complaint. The deputy that was dispatched to the call - informed me that this is just one of thousands of crimes that have had happened in the park. There has been assaults, rapes and robberies at gun point. he told me that even there at Sailor's Bar is getting bad. It is not the worst she said.


Don't get me wrong there are similar issues on the Feather in the town of Oroville and the Lower Sac below Highway 44 in town. But, the American is disgusting and unsafe. I have ended all my guiding and tours on the American for Steelhead and for Shad for this reason.

I think fly fishers need to band fishing on the American and let the all mighty dollar speak for the unsafe and disgusting environment that has over taken the river.


We as a fly fisher group need to raise hell about this!

This is just my two cents and being a retired law enforcement person - I just will not let myself or my clients become a victim of this city's lack of creating a safe and clean environment for the public to enjoy.

There are plenty of places to fish.

Just my two cents.

Be safe!

[JasonB]

I think this is the post:
https://www.billkiene.com/forums/showthread.php?43711-Lower-Sunrise-Parking-Alert!

Totally agree that it is tragic that such a wonderful asset for the community has such issues with crime! It really detracts from my fishing experiences, and makes me hesitant to fish there. I suspect it will always be problematic, due to the vastness of the parkway it seems difficult to adequately patrol... though it sure could see a lot more law enforcement than it currently does!!! It could help at least...
JB

[JohnR]

I recently complained about the exact same issues in Redding on the lower Sacramento River. People need to complain, loudly. After decades of society learning to control industrial pollution and getting rivers cleaned up, the homeless are now reversing that trend and turning our waterways into open sewers. My understanding is that the homeless camps in Redding have been raided several times since my complaint was published in the Redding Searchlight Record... drop in the bucket, but it's a start.

11-12-2019

To the residents, business owners, law enforcement, City Council, and press of the beautiful City of Redding, California,

This past weekend a friend and I had occasion to enjoy your town for a weekend of fly fishing. Our float trip with AC Fly Fishing was exceptional! We stayed at the Sheraton Sun Dial, a lovely hotel. We ate at View 202, great atmosphere, great food, and indeed a great view.

Everything was wonderful, except…

The weekend left me feeling filthy due to watching multiple groups of homeless inject themselves with drugs along the riverside, less than 20 feet away from us in full view. These people live in squalor, polluting your lands and your treasured river, and are likely responsible for most of the petty theft I have been warned about by locals (“don’t leave anything in your car”, “park where it is well lit”, “watch out for needles”).

What a juxtaposition just downstream from the Cypress Ave bridge… beautiful homes and properties on the right shoreline, and what should be a beautiful park on the left shoreline. Instead, the left shoreline appeared to be an open air sewer and drug mart, covered in trash and human waste.

I don’t have a solution for the homeless problem in Redding, or anywhere else. Compassion won’t solve this environmental scourge; compassion is in part what caused it. Drugs, and the people addicted to them are a social blight, polluting and ruining the environment, no different than an oil spill.

I strongly recommend the community get control of the homeless population in Redding. At a minimum, drug addicts should not be allowed to live like animals along an environmentally sensitive waterway.

Good luck, it won’t be easy. Change for the better will start with aggressive policing. I don’t know where it ends or what’s in between, but it will be expensive. Perhaps not as expensive as how diminishing tourism dollars may affect the local economy if this issue isn’t addressed.

Sincerely, John Rogie Lotus, CA
Cc: Redding Record Searchlight, Redding City Council, Redding Chief of Police, Redding Chamber of Commerce

[JohnR]

...and here is the thoughtful reply I received from the Mayor of Redding...

Dear Mr. Rogie,

Thank you for taking the time to write to the council about your experience on our waterways. I'm sorry you had such a negative experience. I agree with your assessment of the situation, as would most people in our community. It's very disturbing. We are well aware of the problem. Unfortunately, identifying a problem and fixing the problem are very different. This issue is complex and driven by actions of our State such as AB 109, Prop 47, and Prop 57. Approximately 25% of the US homeless population lives in CA. The entire state is inundated with homeless folks - good weather, better benefits, lenient courts, etc. We have a justice system that does not mandate drug treatment or mental health treatment, so these folks are roaming our streets and refuse to get treatment.

What we have done in our community is strengthen our ordinances against illegal camping and as we have funding, have hired more officers. Unfortunately, Redding is not a wealthy community like the coastal cities, so our tax base is much lower. Our city is 64 square miles and we have about 7 officers on a shift. Unfortunately, that is not enough to patrol the city and all of our waterways. Our jail is full and the County has not kept up with building more jail space or funding the DA and probation as well as they should have. All of these factors combined have created the problem you witnessed.

We do have some public safety sales tax on the March 2020 ballot, that would increase funding for all of these areas and would make a huge difference. We will see if our citizens are willing to pony up for what they say is their most important issue. I am hoping that is the case.

I have also requested that the city send a letter to our governor, declaring a state of emergency on homelessness in CA. Until the courts mandate treatment for drug addicts and the mentally ill, this will continue to be a problem in our state.

I hope you will give our community another chance. It is a beautiful place!

Sincerely,

Julie Winter, Mayor

[Lance Gray]

...and here is the thoughtful reply I received from the Mayor of Redding...

Dear Mr. Rogie,

Thank you for taking the time to write to the council about your experience on our waterways. I'm sorry you had such a negative experience. I agree with your assessment of the situation, as would most people in our community. It's very disturbing. We are well aware of the problem. Unfortunately, identifying a problem and fixing the problem are very different. This issue is complex and driven by actions of our State such as AB 109, Prop 47, and Prop 57. Approximately 25% of the US homeless population lives in CA. The entire state is inundated with homeless folks - good weather, better benefits, lenient courts, etc. We have a justice system that does not mandate drug treatment or mental health treatment, so these folks are roaming our streets and refuse to get treatment.

What we have done in our community is strengthen our ordinances against illegal camping and as we have funding, have hired more officers. Unfortunately, Redding is not a wealthy community like the coastal cities, so our tax base is much lower. Our city is 64 square miles and we have about 7 officers on a shift. Unfortunately, that is not enough to patrol the city and all of our waterways. Our jail is full and the County has not kept up with building more jail space or funding the DA and probation as well as they should have. All of these factors combined have created the problem you witnessed.

We do have some public safety sales tax on the March 2020 ballot, that would increase funding for all of these areas and would make a huge difference. We will see if our citizens are willing to pony up for what they say is their most important issue. I am hoping that is the case.

I have also requested that the city send a letter to our governor, declaring a state of emergency on homelessness in CA. Until the courts mandate treatment for drug addicts and the mentally ill, this will continue to be a problem in our state.

I hope you will give our community another chance. It is a beautiful place!

Sincerely,

Julie Winter, Mayor

I live in Willows, CA and the law enforcement here doesn't stand for the homeless. they keep moving or they get taken to jail. In jail the DT from whatever they have been using and they hate that they have to got through that. So they - have learned to keep moving.

Redding is bad. I only drift from Bonneyview down. On the Feather I fish and guide just the wildlife area. The homeless there will not cross the river. To hard to get drugs and booze.

I agree - the water ways are an open sewer. The environmental problems are huge and we need to make a change. It starts from the top of the state. We keep letting these people do whatever they like. The AB and prop bills that have been voted in have destroyed the fabric of our society. It is time that people realize this and start making changes.

All my years in law enforcement I have found that many of these people are not bad people. They have problems - many problems. But, one thing I do know it took them a long time to get where they are at - just due to all the safety nets we have here in California. They have chosen this life style. many have turned violent to get what they need to survive and to feed their addictions.

I just can't guide or even fish in an area that is not safe. It takes all the fun away from the experience. No one needs that!

[Mr T]

It’s not safe, that’s the bottom line. I hate I can’t fish the American anymore.

[dynaflow]

Why isn't there a Honorary Ranger programme in force in Counties where the Council is short of funds? Approved citizens are given powers of arrest etc.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I watched a youtube video that recommended moving away from all big cities to get away from the homeless and crime?

The more money they throw at the homeless problem, the more homeless there will be.

Lots of my friends have moved to Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho and Montana......maybe it's time?

[Mr T]

Why isn't there a Honorary Ranger programme in force in Counties where the Council is short of funds? Approved citizens are given powers of arrest etc.


In CalUnicornia, I'm sure liability issues preclude this; besides the laws have taken any tools away to enforce removal.

Enabling behavior....

[Mr T]

I watched a youtube video that recommended moving away from all big cities to get away from the homeless and crime?

The more money they throw at the homeless problem, the more homeless there will be.

Lots of my friends have moved to Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho and Montana......maybe it's time?



If its cold its not fun to be outdoors... CA does have nice weather to camp year round compared to say, Nebraska.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Some are RVing north in the summer and south in the winter........year round fishing.



Some have a small home where it is nice in the summer (MT) and another that is nice in the winter (FL).

Houses in these places are usually much cheaper than in California as long as they are in an expensive area.



We are headed back to Sebastian, Florida in a few weeks to fish for small Tarpon, Snook, Redfish, Ladyfish and Seatrout.

Weather is averagely in the 70s in the winter in Florida so you can fish year round for something.

There are tons of inspiring YouTube videos on fishing Florida.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP3_r7xZQsU

.

[Charlie S]

I imagine that such a program is not possible due to legal problems. Say a volunteer ranger, working under the authority of the city or county, but without graduation from an accredited law enforcement course of instruction, the appointing authority could incur a lawsuit if a suspect was injured or illegally detained, during an arrest. Or if the ranger was injured, would that same authority fully cover medical and other costs? Add the cost of a background investigation, polygraph, and compensation of uniforms and equipment, training and a supervised check period, I really don’t see any rational city or county authority using this option. But then again we are talking about California where safe and sane decisions are ignored for feel good programs.

[Lance Gray]

I just got off the phone with a friend of mine that works at the fish hatchery there on the American River. He was telling me that every morning a staff member has the duty of walking around the grounds to clean up toilet paper and human s"*t. If they run into a homeless person they call a warden or police to have them removed.

This just confirms my decision to stop guiding and doing tours on the river.

Really folks is there anyone out there that wants to stand in water and fish that someone is crapping in or worse disgrading their use needles in.

Not this kid!

Sorry to be a party pooper on a Friday. Have a great weekend and fish some place than the American.

[Carl Blackledge]

Lance,

I feel the same way about the Russian River.

Carl

[Tony Buzolich]

Don't forget to mention the Feather and the Yuba too. There are miles of camps all along both rivers and the police/sheriff depts have been told to not harass them.

It seems the worse around cities and populated areas where these folk can scrounge and steal easily, get food stamps for free, and all the drugs they want.

Think too about eating any of the fish that inhabit these waters.

[Lance Gray]

I hear you!

[yubaman]

As bad as they are, the Eel might be even worse? We drifted it last year about 10 days after a high water event and you
could have fully stocked a swap meet with all of the clothing, sleeping bags and tarps that were hanging from the bushes along the river.

[Steve S]

What I don't understand as it relates to break ins on an urban fishery such as the American River is why there isn't wifi at the parking areas so that if someone wants to put a live streaming camera in their vehicle to keep an eye out so to speak they can do it and without running afoul of ACLU complaints about fixed municipal cameras in public spaces. It's automated, scalable and a fraction of the cost of the overhead for more law enforcement, or the liability of a citizen force.

The trash and feces are another issue.

[PV_Premier]

Bill it’s all well and good but many of the places you list don’t have an abundance of jobs and honestly are quickly becoming as expensive as CA...

Everyone is not to trot on moving to Reno but I don’t see the appeal.

Anyways back on topic. I don’t fish the American at all despite living 1 mile from Paradise Beach. The fishing isn’t good enough to justify the riff raff.

[Rich Morrison]

California has unfortunately been ruined. The state is governed out of the population centers of LA and San Fran and it’s only going to get worse. You have the second highest rate of income tax in the country behind only New York. Yet it’s ok to poop on the street and accountability is considered a dirty word. I loved growing up in Nor Cal. That place is long gone.