What is the way to deescalate this situation?

I would probably start with motion activated lights. They are fairly cheap and might get the squatters to move on to a less annoying place.

A huge intimidating dog might be nice. And booby traps. An electric fence isn’t just for horses, cows and dogs to stay in a space. They can also help keep people out.

What a relief. I couldn’t think after hearing their fear.

I will mention these ideas to them tomorrow.

Along with the motion activated lights, add in a few motion activated sprinklers. Nothing like an unexpected shower to put a damper on things.

This is what has been suggested for people trying to keep feral cats out of their yard and there’s no reason it couldn’t work on people as well.

And for the motion sense lights, I would strongly suggest making them strobe lights.

@GloPro What you are suggesting could land these people in civil court…...and criminal court if they set a booby trap. You can’t do that. When there are “known” trespassers, owners must warn of any known dangers on the land. So, of course they can’t plant a booby trap.

They will need a court order so they should get started with the process. Get a property attorney.

I doubt vagabonds are going to take the time to sue. I meant things like mouse traps and leaving rakes in the yard.
An electric fence isn’t illegal… And a little sign on each side of the fence is a warning.
A protective dog also isn’t illegal… And provides a nice reason to have a fence.

Squatters usually avoid places that are a pain in the ass. Being lazy is why most of them are squatters in the first place.

@GloPro no, not sue but they can be vindictive and destructive. It would not take much to send a motor home up in flames. You need to let the authorities take the heat rather than impose it yourself and subject yourself to their wrath. Call the police again, and again, and again, mention that you have guns and are not afraid to use them to protect yourself and your property (it doesn’t have to be true) if necessary.

Is this a big town? I know the police in our town work with us to clean up and clean out neighborhoods. They are very receptive to help locating these trouble spots and will do all within their means to make it unpleasant for the squatters.

On a longer term solution, you need to get the town government involved. Most town have code enforcement officials whose job it is is to find problems like this and rectify them. They will issue notices and levy fines on the owners who are not maintaining their property. There are ordinances that require that grass be kept mowed and eyesores such as a dilapidated or partially completed structure be fixed, maintained or torn down. In town a structure can only remain unfinished for a limited time.

When it becomes to irritating or too costly for the substandard property owners to ignore their problem, they will do something about it. Get the name of the person you need to contact at the city and call them and explain the situation. Get a code book and each and every time you see a violation call and complain, just be sure it is a valid complaint. It may take several months of constant calling but eventually you will win.

I fail to see how a big dog is vindictive. Or a fence that defines your property. Maybe a privacy fence would be better.

If you re-read the OP there are hoards of people climbing all over the property that don’t give a shit, and cops that don’t give a shit. When I filed a restraining order an was being stalked the cops told me the guy had to physically harm or attempt to harm me before they could really legally do anything.

This sounds like a dangerous situation to me. It also sounds like that motor home could go up in flames no matter what they do.

True @GloPro and a 6’ chain link is certainly the better way to go, a 4’ one will just get jumped over. You don’t get boards kicked out for easy entrance that way.
Dogs can, and will, be poisoned.
Mentioning the firearm will get the attention of the police department.

I would go have a meeting with someone high up at the police department. I’m sure these property owners are not the first people that have had this problem.

Lights are an excellent idea, but vindictive squatters may break the lights. I wouldn’t want to have any dog left alone with some vicious squatters. Someone previously had a good point that he might be poisoned or have rocks thrown at him or something.

I would also probably consider selling the property if I were the owners. It sounds like, if they don’t live there and they don’t need it, it’s maybe more trouble than it’s worth.

Wow. A lot to digest. The police did indicate they had to witness the damage to the property in order for them to do anything about it. Even a restraining order.

They aren’t even sure how many people were living next door. They do have a fence chain link. I imagine 4 feet in the places it hasn’t been crumpled lately. They are considering replacing it. But the fence borders three other property lines. They have gotten permission from one owner. They mentioned it to the owner of the abandoned lot, there are trees on their side entangled and overgrowing the fence. Also they were hoping for a split payment since it is on the property line. But he only told him he would get around to removing the trees. He was planning to any way since he is trying to sell. He shut them down before they could mention anything else.

My friends are living on the property but the house has many blind corners and sides. They can’t see the entire lot by looking out the available windows.

The third is owned by a landlord they haven’t ever met the person. But they plan on looking up the owner and pursuing that avenue soon.

Part of the problem is that the neighborhood is being cleared out.it had many abdoned over grown lots. Some with houses on them. Over the past few years most of those were burned supposedly on accident by the impaired homeless living inside. Then last year sifnicificant potions of land were cleared and in the process of being developed. Meanwhile the homeless shelter is even more crowded then normal and fairly close to the neighborhood.

The city has shut down public access bathrooms in parks and replaced them with portapotties. Etc. The problem is the homeless no longer have very many choices of where to go.

I think that is why they are acting so aggressively. The police have no solution. So they stick to things like domestic violence traffic tickets and the occasional drug bust.

I will have to look to see if there are ordinances in that part of town. People in Alaska are usually very territorial over property rights of the owner. In fact it is common that people will go out of their way to make their house look more dilapidated then usual or not make exterior repairs, leaving add one half finished on the outside so their property tax won’t go up. We don’t pay a sales tax so property tax is a major source of revenue for the city and borough. Very little if any ordinances exist except perhaps in the premium higher class neighborhood s…. Possibly.

Maybe the best idea before any action is taken to visit a lawyer just for counsel to get advised of what they can or can’t do. What the implications of such actions would be.

What sort of lawyer would be best suited to offer the most pertinent advice?

I would suggest that of all the types of attorneys, a real estate lawyer would know best how to utilize the real estate laws, property codes, tax codes that pertain to real estate, etc.

Thank you @jca

I’m surprised that the police will do so little. This is more than just “squatters” and “vagrants”; considering the damage to the fence/s and mailbox and egging of the house as vandalism and (however they entered) uninvited entry to the motor home as petty crime.

I would advise that they not give up on the “better policing” route. Complain to a police ombudsman (if there is one) or management that police unresponsiveness to criminal activity (not “borderline” criminal, but actual breaking of black-letter law) is unacceptable. If that still fails, contact the county sheriff and/or the local prosecutor. This is a situation that is going to escalate if “something” isn’t done, and while there are things that your friends can do, there are things that the police have to do, too.

While they’re goading the police to do their jobs, I would also advise the use of bright, flashing lights and sprinklers. Whatever makes the area less attractive to the unwanted users will make them drift to a place that’s not so defended. I would not think that “high security” measures should be needed, but I do think that your friends should have weapons just in case things don’t go as planned. For one thing, the easy answer to unwanted lights and sprinklers is to break the lights and cut the hoses feeding the sprinklers, and things could get uglier before they get better.

Finally, not all of my response on this is hard-ass. If there is a way to aid people who are only temporarily down on their luck and need a hand to move on, move out or get started on a new job, for example, and if your friends are in position to offer that, then that might ease tension, too. Part of the problem with these kinds of situations is that your friends only see “squatters and vandals” and the homeless may have been conditioned to see only “rich assholes” who own their own homes, RVs, etc. It’s always helpful for people to meet somewhere in the middle.

@CWOTUS I don’t believe that the police don’t consider it a crime. I’ve called the cops personally several times over the years and what rhey seem to always want is you to witness the event. Be able to identify them. And if it isnt violence physically directed at you, the complaintent, they arent going to go looking for these people.

I dont know if that is normal police procedure across the US or if its just due to poor training or depriortization. Or if Alaska by reputation as the last frontier they figure people will go up in arms if they run an investigation.

My friends have put up flood lights and were going to do more but activity has seemingly stopped for now.

And i see your point about perspective. But now my friends feel violated. And their plates are overflowing with obligations. I dont know the situation of these people and neither do they.. And while i would normally agree with you about circumstance i just dont know what they could do to help them even if both sides were willing so its a moot point.

If the people are drug addicts, they will suck the owners dry with needing of help, food, clothes, etc. Your friends probably don’t want to give things to people who have vandalized their property and I don’t blame them if they feel that way.

Cops are probably short-staffed and so not looking to make extra work for themselves. In addition, when cops go to an area, everyone either hides or is “on best behavior” so they’re not likely to witness any crimes being committed on this large piece of private property.