The Akron Legal News

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Akron responds to homeless lawsuit allegations

Patrick Moe stands near a wooded area Friday, Oct. 3, 2014, in Akron, Ohio, where he once lived until the Akron police confiscated his personal items. Nearly a dozen homeless people are suing Akron Mayor Donald Plusquellic and other city officials for a policy they say has led to police and city workers confiscating and throwing away their tents, clothes and personal items. Moe lost everything he owned last November when police and city workers from Akron conducted a sweep through a large encampment where dozens of homeless people lived in tents. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

Published: October 10, 2014

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — Akron police say they acted properly and warned homeless people in advance before ordering them to leave encampments and throwing away their belongings.

A police spokesman issued a statement Monday in response to a lawsuit filed Friday in federal court by 11 people who say they had their civil rights violated during sweeps of homeless camps by police and city workers.

Monday's statement says officers cleared the camps at the request of property owners. The statement says the camps had no restrooms and that drug paraphernalia was found. Police also contend they gave the homeless people a chance to salvage their belongings.

The lawsuit claims that some people lost everything during the police sweeps and that some occurred at sites where homeless people had been told they could camp.


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