Garland staff describe encampment cleanup, outreach and enforcement strategy; police task force outlines deflection option

Amber Thompson, Garland Environmental Compliance director, described the city’s response to homeless encampments and related environmental hazards, including human waste, biohazards and fires. “The most impactful thing at an encampment that some people aren't aware of is there's nowhere to go to the bathroom,” Thompson said, describing disinfecting, needle removal and other cleanup tasks.

Thompson said the city posts a notice and gives residents three days to vacate public property before removing an encampment; items are stored for seven days unless they are “really, really filthy,” in which case staff discard them. She said the city coordinates with multiple departments — parks, streets, sanitation, GP&L — and with neighboring Mesquite to conduct synchronized cleanups so people do not move back and forth across jurisdictional boundaries.

The city’s enforcement and outreach mix

Officer Wilson of the Garland Homeless Task Force said the police unit…