Atlanta police go undercover to nab homeless panhandlers www.privateofficer.com
Posted by privateofficernews on July 23, 2008
Atlanta police go undercover to nab homeless panhandlers www.privateofficer.com
Atlanta GA July 22 2008
By: Rick McCann
Ntl. Assoc. Private Officers
http://www.privateofficer.com/
Atlanta Georgia police announced last week that they would begin conducting a sting operation in the downtown metro area looking for aggressive panhandlers who target workers and visitors of the city.
Undercover police will wear concealed cameras to capture any threatening behavior from the growing number of panhandlers.
Maj. Khirus Williams announced the new program last Friday and already there is a lot of outcry and organizations speaking out against this type of strong handedness.
Atlanta Georgia police announced last week that they would begin conducting a sting operation in the downtown metro area looking for aggressive panhandlers who target workers and visitors of the city.
Undercover police will wear concealed cameras to capture any threatening behavior from the growing number of panhandlers.
Maj. Khirus Williams announced the new program last Friday and already there is a lot of outcry and organizations speaking out against this type of strong handedness.
Advocates for the homeless say that it is harassment and unfair to the people that they are targeting.
Billi Kerns admits that she has seen a few homeless people who are a little aggressive in the downtown area but for the most part it’s not the problem that the police or the Convention Bureau is making it out to be said Kerns..
An Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau survey of visitors shows that panhandling is the second biggest complaint about Atlanta, behind traffic.
Williams declined to say how many officers will be involved in the hidden-camera effort.
The city passed an anti-panhandling ordinance in 2005, but it has not been rigorously enforced.
An APD officer told us that he thinks Atlanta does a good job with housing and feeding the homeless and that there is no need for them to be out on the street aggressively panhandling and in some cases scaring people.
Billi Kerns admits that she has seen a few homeless people who are a little aggressive in the downtown area but for the most part it’s not the problem that the police or the Convention Bureau is making it out to be said Kerns..
An Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau survey of visitors shows that panhandling is the second biggest complaint about Atlanta, behind traffic.
Williams declined to say how many officers will be involved in the hidden-camera effort.
The city passed an anti-panhandling ordinance in 2005, but it has not been rigorously enforced.
An APD officer told us that he thinks Atlanta does a good job with housing and feeding the homeless and that there is no need for them to be out on the street aggressively panhandling and in some cases scaring people.
Atlanta is a city built on conventions and visitors the officer said and we need to keep these people safe as they visit our city.
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