San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies and Banning Police Department officers arrested 40 people during encampment removal operations, authorities said Thursday.
Three operations this week in Banning targeted illegal homeless encampments, which were being dismantled after police arrested multiple occupants on suspicion of trespassing, according to the Banning Police Department.
The first operation occurred Tuesday just northeast of the intersection of Hathaway and Ramsey streets. Capt. Brandon Smith said “homeless liaison officers” entered the encampment site along with officers from the Code Enforcement and Animal Control departments.
Encampment occupants received notice 72 hours earlier warning them of the need to vacate the site, police said.
Seven individuals were arrested on suspicion of trespassing, then released from custody. Banning authorities also contacted the owner of the property where the encampment was located and directed the owner to start a cleanup effort that includes removing vehicles used as residences, Smith reported.
The next joint operation took place Wednesday near Interstate 10 and Sunset Avenue, according to Smith. Police arrested 13 alleged trespassers, then released them. One camp occupant was arrested in connection with an outstanding felony warrant.
“This location is also private property, and (police are) actively working with the owner to get the encampment debris removed from the property,” Smith said.
A third operation involving Banning authorities occurred Thursday southwest of Bryant Street and San Gorgonio Avenue. Police made five arrests for alleged trespassing, then released the individuals.
With the assistance of the Banning Streets Department, four large tent encampments were removed from the property, Smith said.
The captain noted that while local agencies are working to guide residents experiencing homelessness to resources and services in Banning and Riverside County, police “will be enforcing applicable laws with a zero tolerance,” Smith said. “The police department has been able to strengthen efforts in enforcing crimes related to unlawful camping and other quality of life issues that have become a major problem within the city.”
For questions or to report illegal encampments, police asked the public to call the BPD’s non-emergency line at 951-922-3170. Code Enforcement complaint forms are available online at banning.ca.us/FormCenter/Police-10/Code- Enforcement-IssueConcernForm-62.
Operation Shelter Me
In the city of Highland and surrounding areas, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Homeless Outreach Proactive Enforcement, or HOPE Team on Feb. 6 conducted Operation Shelter Me that also included deputies from the Highland Station.
The ongoing series of encampment-clearing operations aims to connect county staff members with unhoused residents, offering them housing and access to medical care and mental health services while addressing community safety concerns, officials said.
“Deputies focused on individuals with significant mental illnesses to link them with restorative mental health pathways,” according to a county statement.
The operation resulted in 15 arrests and the following outcomes:
- deputies interacted with 43 people experiencing homelessness;
- Seven individuals accepted referral information to assistance programs;
- Two individuals were arrested for having San Bernardino County felony warrants;
- Two people were taken into custody for county misdemeanor warrants;
- Deputy Michael Castaneda arrested an individual for allegedly being a felon in possession of a loaded firearm;
- Five individuals were arrested for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance;
- Two people were arrested for misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia;
- One individual was arrested for allegedly violating a restraining order;
- One person was arrested for violation of probation terms; and
- One individual was arrested for allegedly bringing a controlled substance into a jail facility.
California voters passed Proposition 36, which took effect Dec. 18, 2024, and reforms multiple laws connected with Proposition 47 enacted in 2014. Critics of Proposition 47 claim its less stringent penalties have been responsible for increasing homelessness, drug addiction and theft. County officials said Proposition 36 includes new criminal laws and Health and Safety Code provisions “that deputies can apply during arrests when appropriate. These latest charges can carry enhanced sentencing and prevent offenders from being cited and released before their court appearance.”
The HOPE Team and additional county staff will continue similar operations over the next year, “thanks to special ‘Community Concerns’ funding, approved by the Board of Supervisors,” officials said.
Everyone arrested during encampment operations are contacted in jail by the Sheriff’s Transitional Assistance Reentry Team, or START, and are offered resources and reentry services, according to the county.
Officials urged the public to report individuals experiencing homelessness who need services by calling 909-387-0623 or emailing hope@sbcsd.org.
San Bernardino County homeless count
San Bernardino County on Thursday released a video from this year’s Point-in-Time Count, which captured hundreds of volunteers, members of the Board of Supervisors and Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk Josie Gonzales as they canvassed cities, towns and unincorporated areas to support unhoused residents and collect data on current homelessness.
The annual count for 2026 had additional field resources and enhanced coordination, officials said. A mobile team was available to respond in real time and connect people experiencing homelessness with emergency housing, temporary shelter and supportive services.
“This is our opportunity to find out who is displaced in our community, how many of those individuals have been impacted by homelessness and what we as a community can do to better serve them,” said Marcus Dillard, San Bernardino County Homeless Services chief.
“By identifying individuals today, it provides the data we need to try to address problems in the near future,” Joe Baca Jr., vice chair of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, said on the day of the count in late January.
To further strengthen the effort, the county expanded how information was shared with volunteers by launching a “Story Map.” The Story Map provided materials that helped prepare volunteers and supported them in the field.
Officials noted the 2025 PIT Count that found 3,821 individuals were experiencing sheltered and unsheltered homelessness countywide, which reflected a 10.2% decrease compared with the previous year. The overall homeless population increased by 1% in 2024, 26% in 2023 and 6.6% in 2022.
“Last year’s results indicated progress in addressing homelessness,” according to the county.
The PIT Count is a key part of securing state and federal grant funding to support individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of it.
Results from the 2026 PIT Count will be released later this year, officials said.
