SPOKANE, Wash. — As local leaders hash out plans to clear out the homeless camp on state land near I-90, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is shelling out thousands of dollars to pay for security at the camp.
On Wednesday, KREM 2 learned the details of their 6-month contract with the security company.
On Wednesday, Don Barden spent the morning making a police report after a vehicle on his lot at A & L Transmission Service was broken into. Barden says this is becoming more common at his shop.
"Coming in here breaking windows,” said Barden. “Drilling gas tanks. We had a car stolen last week. We had a car stolen four months ago and found that vehicle over at the camp. I found it."
Barden says he has made several police reports, which SPD has confirmed. SPD confirms that the individual in the surveillance that Barden has of his lot has been linked back to the camp.
WSDOT says three security guards will patrol the area 24-7. They'll pay Security Service Northwest $30,000 a week. It is a six-month contract. The security guards will not be armed and will work with the Spokane Police already patrolling that area.
There is also now a fence surrounding the camp, a curfew, and new rules for who is allowed to go inside the camp. Barden does not feel like these changes benefit the surrounding area.
"No, they're wasting their time,” said Barden. “Put a fence up. So what they until get out, put the barrier round so you can't see in, NO, what is that going to do? it's not going to do anything.”
Neighbors share similar concerns. Stacey says since the fencing things have gotten worse. She doesn't believe adding security will help either.
"I do believe that it is going to protect them way more than it is going to protect me as a citizen on the outside,” said Stacey. “I can't go to a security guard and say, hey, they're destroying my property. They're not going to do anything to protect my property."
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