Also does anyone know if or how often they patrol the trail and what kind of people you might be meeting along it??

Interesting people

No one patrols the trail specifically. But it's safe. I actually don't see any homeless encampments.

Please understand that there are homeless encampments with mentally ill now flooding the o.c. and e trail behind diamond and beyond. They are also moving to the trail by the flamingos by summers Lane. They have many dangerous people grouped in with the regular homeless. You will see some regular tents but you have to actually walk out there to see they have dug wholes into the ground. So they won't be visible unless you are very much looking for them. It's been absolutely thrashed and disgustingly polluted with trash and other things.