POTD: A last-ditch effort

Metro Wire Staff

A new sign posted at the Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office shows the department’s official stance on overnight guests in its lobby.

Sheriff Mike Lukas said the sign was installed on May 16 as a measure to prevent homeless people from sleeping in the lobby. It’s been a problem since the downtown warming shelters closed for the season

“We don’t have the cold weather anymore so we’re having people bringing their suitcases and other items and sleeping in our lobby,” Lukas said.

The PCSO is open 24 hours a day, so there is plenty of foot traffic between deputies escorting inmates, lawyers, other law enforcement and staff, and members of the public. Lukas said there have been reports of visitors being harassed.

“So I had to shut that down and say, ‘Sorry, this is not a place for you to sit overnight or go to sleep.’ So there’s no loitering in here,” he said.