Willand Pond homeless encampment set for removal on Monday

SOMERSWORTH - Somersworth Police on Friday laid out their plans for clearing the Willand Pond homeless encampment on Monday.

The 100-acre parcel is owned privately and the owners have asked local law enforcement to have the camps taken down and the people living their removed.

Somersworth Police Lt. Matthew Duval said police and other agencies including nonprofits have been working with the homeless there for months to make the transition go as smoothly and safely as possible.

"We have outreached to every single tent site," he said on Friday.

The taking down of the encampment will begin around 9 a.m. on Monday with nonprofit service provider Community Action Partnership of Strafford County taking the lead as they triage those leaving at the Willand Drive warming center.