Description
Who is making the decision about what constitutes aggressive panhandling? When a person cannot enjoy their neighborhood or their own stoop, walk home, or eat at an outdoor cafe without being asked for money, this is aggressive and a serious quality of life issue. Self defense classes specifically teach participants not to allow strangers within a particular personal space distance, yet, repeatedly, citizens are told there is nothing the police can do when they are continually accosted and outright scared (including after dark) as panhandler after panhandler approaches and asks for money. This has a lot to do with why people so many fewer people want to come to this area to dine and shop. It doesn't matter what we offer, if our streets are filthy, loud, and filled with drunks and people asking for cash. This holds no attraction and should be a no brainer.
16 Comments
David, Mayor's Office (Verified Official)
Jill (Registered User)
Ditto this!!!! I live in center square and the harassment is repetitive, not stopping first time i said “not today.” As a young girl living alone having old drunk men routinely follow behind me to my block yelling for money its so upsetting. Last year eating at LAX with friends we were accosted so forcefully that although we enjoyed our dining experience we never went back and probably wont again, its just not enjoyable. Really stinks for business owners and residents alike.
While on the topic walking near Dunkin Donuts at 6am has me fearing for my life. Last week a man on heroin followed me to my car and jiggled my handle. This is NOT OKAY OR ROUTINE because i chose to live in center square. We cannot let this be normalized, please.
Neigh (Registered User)
Joseph Lombardi (Registered User)
An anonymous SeeClickFix user (Registered User)
StateStreetFighter (Registered User)
Neigh (Registered User)
Acknowledged APD LT-NEU (Registered User)
Concerned Citizen (Registered User)
Coreymatthews (Registered User)
Concerned Eye on Albany (Registered User)
grettapointsetta (Registered User)
Concerned Eye on Albany (Registered User)
Should be an undercover police officer patrolling (walking) throughout Albany. While I understand how this is for people getting aggressively approached, unfortunately there are even worse things going on right out in the open that are not being addressed.
I sympathize for anyone who needs to panhandle, but a sign or the old fashioned cup or whatnot is a respectable way to do it. Aggressively walking up to people and then getting angry when they don't give is over that line. I've had some get upset after apologizing that I could not help and telling them I am poor myself. But if some plainclothes police walked the city and actually enforced things, including quality of life you would see such a difference in Albany. Just being seen is not much of a deterrent these days.
Closed APD LT-NEU (Registered User)
Concerned Citizen (Registered User)
StateStreetFighter (Registered User)