Barrington Police are giving the homeless people living in Veterans Park a little more time to move out. 

On Wednesday, March 1, Barrington Police officers hiked through the woods behind the Bayside YMCA and issued three homeless men a 30-day notice to vacate the park. The men had set up an encampment in the woods.

On Saturday, April 1, police were back at the park and told the homeless people that they had an additional week to leave. 

Barrington Police received a 911 call at 8:45 a.m. on April 1 for a suspicious condition in the woods behind the ball field at Veterans Park. Police responded and spoke to the people living in the woods; police said the individuals had been arguing with each other.

Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia said the people had made arrangements to move out of the park, although they needed a little bit more time. 

“So, they’ve been given another week to relocate,” he said. “We’re working with them.”

Chief Correia said the homeless encampment appears to have expanded over the past few weeks. He said the department is trying to make arrangements to help with the storage of the individuals’ belongings once they move out of the park. 

Chief Correia said there have not been any campfires at the encampment. He believes the individuals have been using propane heaters, and heavy duty sleeping bags to stay warm during the colder weather. The chief also said the department has not received any recent reports of problems or encounters between the homeless people and residents walking or hiking in the park. 

“They’ve kept to themselves and we haven’t been inundated with calls,” Chief Correia said. 

That had not been the case earlier. 

On Jan. 31, a resident called police and reported that while walking his dog in the Veterans Park woods he was approached by a man who had set up camp there. And on Feb. 22, police charged one of the homeless men with possession of a schedule I to V controlled substance. Police said they found methamphetamine in the man’s possession.

“That tells me we need to do something. It’s a public safety issue,” Chief Correia said, adding “We want to address it in a compassionate manner.”