City of Montgomery clearing homeless camp near Atlanta Highway

A homeless encampment behind a Walmart on Atlanta Highway in Montgomery is being cleared, said a post on social media by city officials. 

The City of Montgomery made an announcement online on Thursday saying that the Public Works department and "others" are working to clear the encampment. 

The post mentioned the involvement of the Crisis Intervention Team or CIT that is part of the Montgomery Police Department as a specialized unit trained for mental health cases. 

"They work with individuals experiencing mental health or substance use disorders, focusing on de-escalation, recognizing such conditions, and linking people with needed services," the post says. "The CIT team also collaborates with various local organizations like the Central Alabama VA Medical Center, The Hub, and area hospitals."

The post has drawn more than 350 comments to date with many questioning if those who lived in the encampment are being given alternative shelter and saying that they are being merely displaced.

Others, however, have applauded the action, citing alleged crimes and drug use from the people that resided there. 

The City of Montgomery's Facebook page can be seen here.