The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office has cleared dozens of homeless encampments over the last nine months as part of a coordinated outreach campaign, the agency announced.
The department’s S.W.O.R.D. unit, which stands for Sheriff’s Wrap-around Outreach Re-entry Directive, dismantled and cleaned up the makeshift sites throughout St. Johns County, with many of the camps clustered around St. Augustine.
But the program, officials stressed, aims to extend beyond beautification.
Members of the S.W.O.R.D. team visit homeless encampments across the county, engaging with residents and offering them a variety of available services.
These include reunification with family, transitional housing, sober living programs, employment support, detox programs, mental health services, and residential treatment programs.
Once an encampment is vacated, the area is cleaned to ensure safety and restore community spaces, SJSO said.
According to the Florida Department of Health, St. Johns County’s total homeless population in 2025 was roughly 400,
To report an encampment or request help, Sgt. Clark can be reached at [email protected].
