On July 24, authorities arrested a 39-year-old man in an east Redmond homeless camp, accusing him of firing gunshots at a passing motorcycle. Deschutes County officials have identified safety concerns as a top issue at homeless encampments. On July 21, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners voted to add two hours of daily security patrols at homeless encampments in Bend and Redmond.
Commissioner Patty Adair suggested at the meeting adding more security at the encampment in east Redmond. Officials have been concerned about the encampment’s code violations including overnight camping, structures that don’t meet state building requirements and waste accumulation, according to the July 21 board meeting record.
Adair also asked for more patrols in Bend at the Temporary Safe Stay Area at Juniper Ridge. TSAA currently receives four hours of daily security from a private company. The County first brought in armed security guards to patrol the TSAA in 2024. That security contract stemmed from an earlier plan to clear everyone from Juniper Ridge by December 31, 2026. Security work has included checking County-provided toilets and hand-washing stations as well as looking at fire risks. County officials add that reports of crime and other incidents are further reasons for maintaining armed security.
The vote to expand patrols comes as Central Oregon governments have been stepping up enforcement at local encampments, while also working to build new shelters — a dual approach that reflects the challenging nature of addressing homelessness. Deschutes County is addressing homeless encampments in several ways: private security patrols, infrastructure improvements, and efforts to get people into housing or managed sites. The County has teamed up with Bend to limit camping at Juniper Ridge while working on long-term solutions like new shelters in Bend and Redmond. The proposed extended patrol coverage will cost approximately $60,000 annually.
This article appears in Source Weekly July 24, 2025.
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“Deschutes County officials have identified safety concerns as a top issue at homeless encampments.” No *&%! Sherlock! Genius.
“The proposed extended patrol coverage will cost approximately $60,000 annually.”
At this point I’m convinced the County loves a reason to pay themselves more.
I’ll state the obvious: Why let these people stay on public lands!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????
Get rid of all encampments. Other cities do it. Why won’t this County? Hmmmm.
We continue to allocate funding toward temporary solutions that fail to address the root causes of homelessness. Rather than investing taxpayer dollars in managing individuals in low-barrier environments—where long-term progress is often limited—we should redirect these resources toward high-barrier shelters that provide structured support and require participation in treatment programs.
These facilities should offer comprehensive services to help individuals address underlying mental health and substance use challenges. Those who are unwilling to engage in meaningful support or treatment should be required to seek alternatives outside Deschutes County.
Our focus must shift toward long-term recovery and community restoration, not the maintenance of unmanaged encampments that contribute to the deterioration of our lands and community.
We continue to allocate funding toward temporary solutions that fail to address the root causes of homelessness. Rather than investing taxpayer dollars in managing individuals in low-barrier environmentswhere long-term progress is often limitedwe should redirect these resources toward high-barrier shelters that provide structured support and require participation in treatment programs.
These facilities should offer comprehensive services to help individuals address underlying mental health and substance use challenges. Those who are unwilling to engage in meaningful support or treatment should be required to seek alternatives outside Deschutes County.
Our focus must shift toward long-term recovery and community restoration, not the maintenance of unmanaged encampments that contribute to the deterioration of our public spaces and community.