Police Officers Clear Out South Tulsa Homeless Camp

Tulsa police and the City of Tulsa's Public Works Department cleared out a homeless camp near the 71st and Riverside Drive on Thursday morning.

It is something the police do on a regular basis throughout the year across the city after getting complaints. 

Down a hill, not far from the jogging and biking trail is a homeless camp where at least four people live.

"City of Tulsa Security, anyone at home?"

The person living here is a 15-year-old runaway who said he couldn't remember the last time he was in school.

A woman living at a tent nearby grabbed her stuff and left just as officers arrived and a man living in another tent, took the time to gather his property before leaving.

Police say everyone was warned days ago to clear out their belongings.

"We're not just throwing people out on their ear" TPD Cpl. Steve Wood said. "We give them an opportunity and a warning that we'll be back and the folks from John 3:16 swing by and offer services and that type of thing."

Wood says complaints come in all the time about homeless camps, because people who live here use the bathroom in the area and there are mental health issues and reports of crimes.

Another problem is police have been getting a lot of reports lately from a nearby QuikTrip about stolen bicycles and when they show up here, they find all kinds of bicycles and bicycle parts.

Workers will gather up everything and haul it to the dump. But they know the problem isn't over, it's just moved to another place for another day.