Weapons found, arrests made in Sacramento homeless camp, near neighborhood: “We were all prisoners in our house.”

SACRAMENTO – Police found several weapons and made a dozen arrests at a homeless camp in Sacramento.

The Sacramento Police Department said specialized units spent weeks focusing on the area that includes a bike path east of Rio Linda Boulevard and north of Interstate 80.

“Our quality of life when these people were here was literally horrible,” said Angela Miles, who lives near the bike path.

Sacramento police said officers seized loaded guns, drugs including fentanyl, several pipes and syringes, and made 12 arrests during the operation.

“They couldn't say anymore, 'Oh, they're just poor people who need help,'” Miles said.

Miles shared the dozens of photos she's taken of the trail over the years, which show needles littering the path that she and others living nearby have always avoided.

“We were all prisoners in our homes,” she said. “It was dangerous.”

Now the path is practically clear of tents and camper vans.

“My concern is just trying to keep these people away from there,” Miles said.

Police said it was up to the city to decide whether to place barriers on the path. It says general homeless enforcement is carried out by the city's incident management team.

The city said it is currently conducting an environmental analysis of the bike path that will include signage and other safety barriers.

“I have peace,” Miles said. “The neighbors said we should go for a walk on the bike path. We should party on the bike path.”

In a city budget approved this week, the City Council allocated $250,000 for maintenance and safety restoration of the North Sacramento bike path.

Police said they will continue to monitor community needs and reallocate resources as necessary. She did this in response to complaints about homeless encampments in the area.

The Sacramento Police Department released this statement to CBS13:

“The Sacramento Police Department will continue to work closely with our community and business partners as well as all of our local stakeholders to continue collaborative efforts between law enforcement and the community with the ultimate goal of “ensure the safety and security of residents and visitors to our great city.”