SNOHOMISH — Police are maintaining a presence along the Interurban Trail and say things have improved here in the past four years.
Residents are noticing suspicious people wandering behind their homes at night.
Day shift police officers walk the trail each morning, offer assistance to everyone they encounter and document who they meet, Police Chief Mike Martin told City Council members last week. He plans to maintain visibility on the trail and would like to add a regular evening walk-through if resources allow.
The department will start having the city's social worker, community navigator Velvet Franz, come with them more often, Martin said.
Police are also doing daily checks at parks.
The walking path is less than a mile end-to-end from behind the Dollar Tree to Ford Avenue behind the Snohomish Aquatic Center. Some locals call it the "stoner's trail."
Problems over the past four years have lessened by police making more contacts, Department Administrative Sgt. Chris Veentjer said.
"It's not any worse than a year ago, and it's definitely better than in 2019," Veentjer said.
Some residents report seeing structures along the trail. They might not be encampments, though.
Veentjer has looked thoroughly "and there is no-one with a current encampment in the past month," he said.
The last encampment along the trail was about a month ago, and its user was able to be reconnected with family and move out of the area.
Snohomish consistently has 10 or so individuals experiencing homelessness who move from place to place, Martin said.
So far this year, there have been 28 calls for service on the trail, Martin told the council Aug. 15. Sixteen were officer-initiated.
Police brass said it is possible people are dragging furniture left afterhours at the Goodwill donation truck behind the Jack in the Box. Martin said officials are working to problem-solve and "get cooperation" on this issue.
Controlling the trail is not simple. The trail has multiple owners: The city, the school district and private property owners.
If you see a suspicious problem, police encourage to call the non-emergency line at 425-407-3999.
