BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- One homeless man is angered that police may have gone too far in stepping up their efforts to clean up illegal homeless camps along the riverbed south of Oildale.

Dean Longely's home is a long walk through a dry riverbed. Then take a quick hike through brush and you will get there.

For the past four months, Longely has called this camp home. But Wednesday, Longely said members of the Bakersfield Police Department raided the camp and destroyed his tent, broke his dishes, poked holes in his canned goods and covered his clothing with shaving cream.

He said police came in while he was gone and ransacked everything.

The Bakersfield Police Department's traffic division in charge of patrolling the riverbed said Longely’s accusations are not accurate.

In August, the Bakersfield Police Department wrote 120 citations.

It is illegal to camp on city property. Lt. Moore said his officers encourage the homeless to go to a local shelter.

Longely said he's clean and has stayed at a shelter before.

Instead, he chooses to live in the camps and has saved up little by little to get back on his feet.

But the destruction of his property is making life even tougher.

Longely said some local homeless people have threatened to retaliate against Bakersfield police officers if they come back.

But Longely said he won’t retaliate and hopes officers will be more sensitive to the homeless community.