Fremont Police Warn Against Niles Creek Swimming

Fremont police told residents on May 22 not to swim or gather in the Niles Creek area over Memorial Day weekend, saying the site is both illegal and unsafe. The warning appeared in the city’s “Fremont Connection” newsletter and on the Fremont Police Department’s news page ahead of the three-day holiday weekend. Officers said they would patrol the area and watch for trespassers. The notice urged people to choose other places for holiday recreation instead of entering the creek area. ### What exactly did Fremont police tell people not to do? The May 22 city notice said “swimming or gathering in the Niles Creek area is both illegal and unsafe.” The warning was framed directly at people planning a Memorial Day picnic and said anyone considering a day at Niles Creek should “think again.” Officers said they would be “on patrol in the area this weekend, keeping an eye out for trespassers.” The language went beyond a general safety reminder and made clear that police expected people to try to access the creek during the holiday. ### Why did police single out Niles Creek before Memorial Day weekend? Fremont police said the creek remains hazardous because of fast-moving water and hidden conditions. (content.govdelivery.com) The city notice described the area as dangerous even when it may appear calm from the bank. The warning also pointed to a history of drownings in the area, according to local coverage that cited the police message. (content.govdelivery.com) Patch reported that officers said many people had drowned there over the years and warned about strong currents and submerged hazards. ### Is this a safety warning, a trespassing warning, or both? The city’s May 22 notice presented the issue as both a public-safety problem and an enforcement matter. (content.govdelivery.com) By stating that swimming or gathering there is illegal, Fremont tied the warning to access restrictions as well as to the physical dangers of the water. The patrol notice added an enforcement component. (patch.com) Police said officers would be present in the area during the holiday weekend, which signals that people found there could face contact from law enforcement in addition to the safety risk described in the warning. That is an inference from the posted patrol warning, not a separately stated penalty notice. (content.govdelivery.com) ### Where did the city publish the warning? The City of Fremont included the message in its May 22 edition of “The Fremont Connection,” a government newsletter distributed through GovDelivery. The item appeared as a holiday-weekend public notice and used direct language aimed at would-be visitors to Niles Creek. The Fremont Police Department also carried the item on its official news page. (content.govdelivery.com) The department’s website lists the notice among current police updates and community alerts. ### What should residents expect through the weekend? Memorial Day falls on May 25 this year, and Fremont police said patrols would be in the Niles Creek area during the weekend leading up to the holiday. (content.govdelivery.com) The city’s notice did not list hours, citations or a separate closure order, but it did say officers would be watching for trespassers. The next public step is continued enforcement and messaging through the holiday period. (fremontpolice.gov) Fremont’s police department homepage shows the department lobby closed on May 25 for the city-observed holiday, while the May 22 warning remains posted on the city newsletter and police news pages for residents checking weekend advisories. (fremontpolice.gov) (content.govdelivery.com)