County employees warned of reported harassment by residents at City Hall encampment
Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo issued a warning to all county employees working in or near the downtown courthouse about reports of employees being harassed and even chased and threatened by people believed to be associated with the encampment near Bellingham City Hall.
Volunteers with the camp, which was set up in November for people protesting a lack of homeless shelter space in the area, say they know of no harassment or threats.
“We want everyone to be safe,” Camp 210 volunteer Kainui Rapaport told The Bellingham Herald in an email, adding that “everyone” includes unhoused community members.
Elfo confirmed to The Herald in an email that he asked the county executive’s office to send a message to all county employees working near the courthouse about the reports of employees being harassed and even threatened.
Elfo told The Herald that as of Wednesday, Dec. 2, there had been no reports of physical injury to any county employees, though one senior county manager reported being chased by a person who threatened to kill him.
“The Sheriff’s Office recently confirmed that county employees traveling to and from their workplaces at and near the courthouse as well as commonly used parking area have been accosted over the past week by people presumed to be associated with a homeless camp at Bellingham City Hall,” Elfo’s message read.
Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood gave similar advice to city employees in a emailed statement to The Herald Friday, saying “The situation is complex, challenging and dynamic. We are actively engaged in the urgent work of creating the conditions to end the encampment at City Hall. The safety of all concerned is paramount. The encampment has caused apprehension among some city staff and members of the public.
“We have reminded city employees to call 911 if they observe an emergency or illegal behavior, or if they feel their or someone else’s immediate safety is threatened.”
Fleetwood said that the increased patrols by Bellingham police are designed “to help discourage unwanted behaviors,” and though the officers have responded to reports from encampment volunteers, city employees and other members of the public, most have been “regarding disruptive or unsettling but not criminal behavior.”
Originally beginning on the lawn in front of City Hall, the encampment has since expanded to the north lawn of the Bellingham Public Library.
Fleetwood previously said he is working with Whatcom County officials to find more capacity for those without a home, including a temporary village of shelter units that the county has considered buying.
“We are continuing the negotiations with the county as it relates to the details of our partnership,” Fleetwood told the City Council in an online meeting Nov. 23.
It’s unknown exactly how many people are living at what has become known as Camp 210, but they have demanded the city and county increase shelter capacity amid projections of a cold, wet and possibly snowy winter.
“I would like to emphasize that unhoused people live with the greatest amount of fear and insecurity of anybody in this city,” Rapaport told The Herald. “People are sleeping on the ground in the rain and it is concerning that the line of reporting that you have sent me is about issues of employees getting bothered. We all should be bothered that there are homeless among these cold and harsh conditions of this pandemic.”
Rapaport said he was unaware of any threats being made by encampment residents, “however we do know that the sheriff and BPD have posed extreme threats to our unhoused neighbors by removing them from their camps, criminalizing them, and failing to provide support to folks who are experiencing struggles and oppression as a result of being unhoused.”
Rapaport emphasized that campers don’t want any harm to come to city or county employees in the area.
Kelli Hall, another volunteer at the camp and with Whatcom Student Mutual Aid, told The Herald in the email that she felt the increased patrols were an effort to threaten the camp’s stability and the safety of those staying there.
“There are absolutely no incidents of physical harm towards the police by anybody at City Hall, and yet every single person there has a story about a time they were harmed by police,” Hall wrote. “The idea that they are increasing patrols to ‘ensure employees’ safety’ is clearly false because the police are armed with 30 million dollars of military-grade defense tools, and the people at City Hall have nothing. ...
“The community at City Hall is safe, resilient, and one of the greatest examples of community care that folks have ever experienced.”
Elfo told The Herald that, as of Nov. 20, the sheriff’s office had documented five incidents.
Because the courthouse is within Bellingham city limits, the Bellingham Police Department is responsible for handling incidents that occur off county property.
“I contacted Chief (Dave) Doll and requested that the Bellingham Police Department provide extra patrol during the hours preceding and after the employee’s work day (coming and going) — I have personally seen Bellingham Police officers patrolling the area,” Elfo told The Herald. “I appreciate their responsiveness. I also offered to assist the Police Department with additional resources if needed.”
Lt. Claudia Murphy said police have received at least two reports from county employees who said they had been harassed by people living at the encampment, but no incidents had become physical. Overall, Murphy said there have been 19 incidents attributed to the encampment since Nov. 11, including reports of fights, disorderly conduct, parking issues, behavioral health issues, felony assaults and an attempted robbery.
Elfo’s message to employees suggested any employee who is concerned for their safety or are a victim of a crime should try to remove themselves from the area if possible and call 911.
