Susanville’s Public Safety Chief Michael Bengoa-Bollinger released a statement Monday addressing impacts of the upcoming Rainbow Family Gathering and explaining the Susanville Police Department’s strategy for dealing with the anticipated influx of travellers passing through town on their way to the Plumas County event.
“We will increase staffing to conduct business checks, traffic enforcement, and calls for service from the public to deal with individuals who are part of the gathering,” explains Bengoa-Bollinger.
“The brunt of those traveling to the event should be noticeable from Wednesday, June 26, through this weekend. Many will be stopping in Susanville to gather supplies before making their way to the gathering site in Plumas County.”
“We ask you to take extra precautions if you interact with some of these individuals. Please do not offer them rides in your vehicle. Keep your personal items on yourself while shopping and not left in your shopping cart. Some of them will ask you to purchase groceries, supplies, or food. This is not recommended. Please keep your vehicles locked and secure any property you may have around your residence.”
According to the Police Department, some social media posts by members of the Rainbow group have indicated they would “Puddle” community members or Law Enforcement.
Bengoa-Bollinger explains that the term “Puddle” refers to dowsing someone with Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. This is done with a squirt gun or spray bottle containing diluted LSD in water. These types of actions are certainly rare, but the fact they have talked about it raises concern for the department.
“If you encounter a hostile individual, please disengage, leave safely, and contact our department so this person can be identified and appropriate action can be taken.”
The estimated number of individuals coming through our area has ranged from 5,000 to 10,000, but no one has identified an exact number.
“This number of people in our area will certainly impact our roadways, retail businesses, and Emergency Services. We will continue to work closely with the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office, California Highway Patrol, and the Forest Service Law Enforcement team assigned to the incident. When any new updates that affect our community’s well-being become available, we will share them as soon as possible. Our main priority is to our community members and those visiting.”
