Homeless encampment on Orms Street overpass in Providence removed

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A homeless encampment that had grown to occupy a significant portion of sidewalk along Orms Street in Providence has been removed.

Providence police responded to the area of the overpass over Interstate 95 on Friday morning.

Providence police Col. Oscar Perez said the man was not arrested. An ABC6 News photographer on scene saw the man taken away in an ambulance.

Perez said the police department responding to a situation like this is a last resort.

“We usually provide a lot of resources before we act,” Perez said. “The only time that we act is when we think that we’ve provided everything we needed, and now we want to give them something else so that at least they can be in a place that’s safe for them as well as others.”

The sidewalk was cleared by Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson for RIDOT said the agency cleaned out the site after receiving notice from the city that it had been vacated.

RIDOT was not involved in removing any individuals from the encampment, the spokesperson said.

Perez said the city has resources in place for homeless Rhode Islanders ahead of the colder temperatures.