MOUNT VERNON –  Mount Vernon Police Chief Robert Morgan said he was not aware of a homeless encampment by the Interchurch, but said they pop up and move around.

The Mount Vernon Police Department has received complaints in the past of suspicious people, threats and causing other residents to fear for their safety, he said. They’ve had reports of thefts in the past and people trespassing on somebody else’s property.

“But we don’t have anything that I would consider a major incident regarding the homeless folks. We have citizens coming in and reporting that they’ve been around these camps or are seeing them and there’s drug abuse paraphernalia laying around, alcohol bottles laying, around things like that,” Morgan said.

Reports in the past were made that homeless people were showering by using a homeowner’s garden hose or charging their cellphones using an outlet outside the home, he said. But they haven’t received any calls like those recently.

“Our homeless calls have been down this year through the winter,” Morgan said.