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LAPD Cracking Down On Homeless Population Setting Up Tents At Beaches

VENICE (CBSLA) -- The Los Angeles Police Department is cracking down on the homeless population setting up tents at local beaches.

An LAPD officer told KCAL9/CBS2 on Saturday that there were about 30 tents at Venice Beach, but shortly after, all the occupants were told to relocate.

"It remains a third-world kind of environment on the commercial strip," said Mark Ryavec of the Venice Neighborhood Council.

Ryavec is with a Venice group encouraging officials to tackle homelessness in the community.

While some people have brought up concerns about the impact homelessness will have on Venice tourism and concerns about sanitation, others say the issue instead should be focused on finding solutions for the nearly 60,000 people living on Los Angeles County streets.

"Getting it to a point where it feels as safe as Santa Monica, I'd love that to happen, but I don't see the will on the part of the council office or the mayor," Ryavec said.

The LAPD said once police begin enforcing rules about not placing tents on the beaches, then they will also bring their crackdown to the grassy area and boardwalk as well.

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