How to report ''Panhandlers''

In the past we have been told to call 817-335-4222. This number is downtown, the reason for reporting it to this number is so there will be a repot of the call and put in place for dispatch. If you call the Lancaster Branch 817-871-5200 it does not get reported into the data base and therefore does not get pulled into the statistics.

Keep that number handy

Great - I will enter it into my cell phone and see if we can get this under control!


By Travis

Ilegal to Panhandle? Depends...

I used to think it was illegal to panhandle as well....however, after raising the roof about it over here on E. Lancaster & Riverside...I found out that it is only illegal IF IT IS DONE IN A FORCEFUL WAY! Is this ridiculous or what? And guess what else...this is considered to be one of those ''Quality of Life'' issues for the ''homeless'' that some people are wanting to ''protect'' them from being prosecuted. It's absurd the way the laws are written and enforced. You let one of us tax paying, law abiding citizens do anything close to what the vagrants do and it wouldn't take one minute for us to be taken to jail with a fine!! Only vagrants and indigent criminals have the ''get out of jail FREE cards,'' they don't pass them out to us!! Please get involved. Attend some of the committee meetings for MACH and/or attend the Eastside Sector Alliance meetings held the last Saturday of each month at 10 am. Always call 911 because they track the calls coming in from certain areas and provide police force according to the # of calls received in certain area. Also, I always have my camera with me and take a picture when you can. Vagrants and/or criminals don't like their picture taken and it's a great tool to use with City officials. They will ''hear'' your pictures much more than they will hear your voice! Also email Marc Veasey because the State is where the law is sometimes started, formed, and/or changed and your City Council can do alot to help (or hurt) as well.

It is a battle indeed!

If U don't pay, they won't stay

It is my personal opinion that the way to beat the panhandlers is to remove the reason they're there. If no one ever gave money, they would move elsewhere. Education to the public is the way to go, we might not be able to beat the panhandlers themselves, but if they don't have anyone giving them funds they will move on. Perhaps we should think about addressing this issue from that way?