Police Warn Against Swimming Niles Creek

Fremont officials used the city’s May 22 community bulletin to warn residents away from Niles Creek before the Memorial Day weekend, saying swimming or gathering there is illegal and unsafe. The notice said officers would patrol the area over the holiday weekend and watch for trespassers. (content.govdelivery.com) The city said people have died while swimming there. It also said vehicles parked illegally near the creek could be cited or towed. ### What exactly did Fremont tell people not to do at Niles Creek? The City of Fremont said on May 22 that “swimming or gathering in the Niles Creek area is both illegal and unsafe,” and told anyone planning a holiday outing there to change plans. (content.govdelivery.com) The warning appeared in the city’s weekly Fremont Connection bulletin ahead of Memorial Day on Monday, May 25. The bulletin said Niles Creek and the surrounding lands are off limits, and that officers would be in the area during the weekend. Fremont Police did not frame the message as a general water-safety reminder; the city said the creek area itself is restricted. (content.govdelivery.com) ### Why are police treating the creek as both dangerous and off limits? Fremont said trespassing into the creek area can be punishable by arrest under California Penal Code 602(O)(1). The bulletin said the Fremont Police Department is working with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, Alameda County and Caltrans to enforce trespassing laws in and around Niles Creek. (content.govdelivery.com) The city also gave a direct safety reason for the warning. Fremont said Niles Creek has “many hidden dangers,” and that people have lost their lives while swimming there. The bulletin did not list each hazard in detail, but the message tied the enforcement warning to prior deaths in the area. (content.govdelivery.com) ### What enforcement did officials say people could face this weekend? Fremont said violators in the creek area “will be cited and/or arrested.” The city also said vehicles found to be illegally parked would be cited or towed. California Penal Code 602 covers trespass offenses, and the city cited subdivision 602(O)(1) in its notice. (content.govdelivery.com) Fremont’s bulletin did not say how many officers would patrol the area or whether any temporary road closures or checkpoints were planned. ### Where did the city tell people to go instead? Fremont directed residents to Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area at 2100 Isherwood Way in Fremont and Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area at 2500 Stanley Blvd. in Pleasanton as public alternatives. (content.govdelivery.com) The city presented both sites as places to cool off or hold outdoor gatherings instead of going to Niles Creek. East Bay Regional Park District information says Quarry Lakes has beach access and restricts swimming to within swim ropes. The district says Shadow Cliffs has a designated swimming beach and notes that lifeguards are on duty during summer months, while swimming outside staffed periods is at a swimmer’s own risk. (content.govdelivery.com) ### Why did this warning come before Memorial Day weekend? Memorial Day weekend often brings heavier use of creeks, lakes and other outdoor sites, and Fremont’s notice was timed for that travel period. The city’s bulletin opened with holiday service information and then placed the Niles Creek warning directly beneath it, linking the message to weekend recreation plans. (content.govdelivery.com) The city did not announce a temporary closure beginning on a later date. Instead, Fremont described the creek area as already off limits and said enforcement would continue through the weekend. Residents seeking more information were directed to the Fremont Police Department at 510-790-6800. (ebparks.org) Memorial Day falls on May 25 this year, and the police department’s front desk is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, May 26, according to the city bulletin. (content.govdelivery.com)