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Residents urge action after threats, spitting incidents at City Park; police describe trespass steps and limits
Summary
Residents described repeated aggressive encounters at City Park, including a recent verbal threat and attack. Police told council they had trespassed one identified individual from parks but said arrests for misdemeanors usually require a citizen complaint or officers to witness the act.
A Mount Shasta resident told the City Council on June 1 that his wife was threatened and physically attacked in City Park and that the same woman had since been reported to residents multiple times.
"My name is Baroo Inbar and my wife and I, we are residents of Mount Chasta," Baroo said, recounting that intervening bystanders prevented a worse outcome and that his wife’s Facebook post about the incident had received tens of thousands of views. He said several residents described encounters with the same erratic individual and raised concerns about apparent substance use in the park.
Council and staff responded in the meeting’s public-comment period and then during committee and staff updates. A police representative said the woman who spat at a vehicle and was reported in the City Park incident had been contacted and trespassed from City Park for 30 days and later from Shastis Park. "We don't have the staffing to monitor social media," the representative said, urging residents to call dispatch when an incident occurs so officers can respond.
The police spokesman explained legal and operational limits to enforcement: "We can't arrest for a misdemeanor that we didn't see," the staff member said, adding that a citizen's complaint is often required to pursue arrest for offenses such as battery. The department described extra patrols in the park but said staffing does not allow a full-time officer presence.
Residents and community members at the meeting urged a mix of enforcement and supportive services. Speakers acknowledged the complexity of incidents involving mental health, homelessness and substance use, and several asked for rapid, coordinated responses from police, parks staff and social-service providers. One longtime resident said the park remained a valued community space but urged officials to ensure families feel safe.
Council did not adopt additional park-specific policies during the meeting but noted that staff would follow up on individual incidents. The discussion also reinforced the council’s wider budget and staffing concerns, which council members tied to the city’s ability to maintain patrol levels and other public-safety services.
The City asked the public to call dispatch when incidents occur; staff said trespass notices and citations are among tools currently in use while longer-term responses are discussed.
