Salem Police Chief Endorses Crackdown on Aggressive Panhandling
The Salem Police Department is backing a recently-proposed ordinance aimed at curbing aggressive panhandling in Salem.
Salem Police Chief Paul Tucker said he understands why a recently-proposed ordinance that would have local officers issuing $50 tickets to people begging for change may seem strange to some. Panhandling, the physical act of asking someone else for money, is an activity that is protected by the US Constitution - so Tucker made sure to point out that people have the right to ask. "What they don't have a right to do is ask in a violent, tumultuous or belligerent way," Tucker said. "They don't have the right to impede somebody from walking or come up to their car or act in a hostile manner. That's not a protected activity." Tucker said the majority of the panhandlers in Salem don't ask people for money in an aggressive manner and indicated …
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Kim Madrid
8:33 am on Saturday, March 2, 2013
Why don't they have cops walk the sidewalks, not just in those areas all downtown. Maybe it will stop alot of things happening down there, its not just the panhandlers. more ›