261 needles found in one homeless camp in Fort Collins

After receiving numerous complaints from the community, Fort Collins Police Services says they have successfully cleared and cleaned an underpass that was peppered with drug paraphernalia and trash. FCPS reportedly found 261 needles in one underpass. 

The needles were found near the 4500 block of Mulberry Road, a main roadway through the northern third of the growing city.  

Fort Collins police said they received multiple complaints from members of the community of a growing camp under Mulberry Road in recent months. The recently-formed "HOPE Team" responded to the location and conducted a cleanup. 

The agency said they cleared more than 350 industrial bags worth of trash from under the bridge. Additionally, they said they located at least 261 needles.  

The area was also infested with rodents. 

CBS News Colorado recently shadowed the HOPE Team during one of their cleanups. 

Leadership from the recently-formed team said this was one way the city was not only enforcing laws but also providing resources to the unhoused.  

The HOPE Team has been trained in how to provide resources for food, shelter and outlets to permanent housing. They also told CBS News Colorado that some of the officers on the team have training in handling mental health crises. Most cleanups result after weeks or months of making contact with the unhoused and letting them know they need to relocate from the area that will be cleared.