SANTA CRUZ, Calif--
Two days after police cited a man for using heroin at the Occupy Santa Cruz encampment, demonstrators are taking steps to clean up their act.
"We know we can't be responsible for everyone but we have to be responsible for what's going on and how we're represented," said Isaac Collins, Occupy Santa Cruz.
And Occupy Santa Cruz hasn't been represented in a positive light lately. From drug and alcohol use allegations to sanitation issues.
"We're trying to come together to work it out as a team, as a people," said Collins. "We want all people to come out here and feel safe and that's why we've been stepping up our communications and our security detail a little but more carefully so we don't have anymore conflicts like this or when we have them ,we're able to come together effectively and solve them"
Wednesday night, Santa Cruz Police responded to a report of a heroin overdose at the camp. When they arrived, the suspect was alive, but they did make an arrest for being under the influence of heroin. This isn't the image the movement wants to portray.
"We're trying to make sure it doesn't happen again and if it does, we're solving it effectively," said Collins. "That we're able to get people off those things or at least give them the resources we can so they know we're here for them."
Central Coast News talked to local businesses about what's been happening at the camp and if they thought it would affect business. They said they didn't think it would and shoppers said it won't keep them from coming into town.
"If you know this area and you know this place there isn't anything that anybody can do to deter me or anyone who knows this place from coming down here," said Dominic Urrutia, shopper. "It's beautiful."
"The negative, we're dealing with that but there's a lot of positive here," said Collins.
No one from the city or county was able to comment, Friday, on whether or not any action would be taken against the camp.
