SPOKANE -- City leaders announced plans they hope will end public camping and open drug use in downtown, by giving police officers more discretion to issue citations.

"The people of Spokane are united around the goal of ending public camping. We know that it's inhumane for those individuals and has secondary impacts on the rest of our city and businesses," Mayor Lisa Brown said. "We want open drug use in our city to end."

Mayor Lisa Brown, Police Chief Kevin Hall, and non-profits who will assist made the announcement this morning.

The mayor says the city does not fund or run the healthcare system, but there are healthcare and behavioral health providers committed to this work.

The announcement coincides with the launch of a daytime navigation center and new coordinated street outreach

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