MEDFORD, Ore. – A local law enforcement agency is addressing a recent food handout in Medford that wasn’t sanctioned by county or city officials.
The Medford Police Department said over the past weekend, there was a “public feeding” held by volunteers in Hawthorne Park. MPD said they received several complaints on Monday about the event.
“Citizens voiced their concerns and displeasure that the service provider allowed a vulnerable population to gather in groups and did not follow social distancing rules,” MPD explained.
Police said the public feeding was a violation of Governor Kate Brown’s order banning non-essential gatherings, making it a Class C misdemeanor.
Chief Scott Clauson said, “I understand why members of our community are upset about this. A lot of people are making great sacrifices to make social distancing a priority and when they see a feeding like the one that occurred on Saturday, it’s frustrating. I appreciate what the service organization is trying to do but it has to be done in a safe manner.”
The City of Medford partnered with Jackson County and other providers to provide coordinated feeding to the homeless community in a safe manner. If you’d like to get involved in the effort, you can contact Brooke Amposta at [email protected]
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