Police last night cleared Mokule'ia Beach Park of unauthorized campers as a city deadline arrived for the first overnight closure of the park.

Police visited the park in the afternoon to make sure that signs detailing the new hours were up and to assess the situation, said Capt. Moana Heu, of the Wahiawa police station.

Police returned in the evening armed with a list of shelters for the campers and to arrest anyone refusing to leave, Heu said. Police made no arrests but issued two misdemeanor citations to people who initially refused to leave the park, Heu said.

The city parks department had announced a month ago that the area would begin closing from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily, effective yesterday. Campers were given three notices to move their belongings or risk confiscation, with city officials saying that items of value would be saved and the rest thrown away.

Eight of the dozen or so families that were camping there remained at the beach late yesterday morning, said Mary Jane Dalumpinis, who has lived on the beach for four years. They were packing up but complained of having nowhere to go on the North Shore.

"We hope and pray someone going to come and make a miracle," Dalumpinis said. "No one has nowhere to go."

Though she said no one had come to offer shelters, the Waikiki Health Center was there yesterday and had a list of possible housing. But Dalumpinis said she couldn't afford even the cheapest location, which was a single room in a shared home for $600 a month.

At one point, Dalumpinis said she felt hopeful after reading the new signs that not only listed the closing hours but said people could be in the park if they got a permit. But no one could tell her how to get one, she said.

"We tried to find out how to get the permit," she said. "No more no such thing."

Heu said she understands that the campers want to stay on the North Shore, but said that wasn't possible because there are no shelters there.

If the people want a place to stay, there is space available elsewhere, she said.

The Institute for Human Services in Honolulu has space for 11 women, four families and 80 men, Heu said. In Wai'anae, there are four single units that hold two adults each, five medium units that house two adults and two children each, and four larger units that can each accommodate two adults and three children, Heu said.

But many wondered whether the shelters were safe after learning of the alleged rape of a girl who was staying at a homeless shelter in Wai'anae in March.

Michelle Yu, police spokeswoman, said the case is closed and no arrest was made after a thorough investigation.

"My concern is these families work two jobs," said Marie Beltran, who has lived at the beach park for years. "Who's going to keep their children safe when they gotta go to work?"

The campers don't want to go to Wai'anae or the Honolulu shelters but would rather stay near their homes, Beltran said.

"They asked the cops can they park across the street tonight, and the cops said no," she said.

Beltran said she believes the city doesn't hold title to the park and therefore can't kick people out, but Heu said she checked with city attorneys on the issue.

"I was assured by corporation counsel that they have the proper paperwork to prove the city owns that land and it is a public park," Heu said.

Dalumpinis said she has a temporary restraining order protecting her from being removed from the park, but Heu said that is an issue that will have to be decided in court.

Dalumpinis was to appear in court this morning.