CLEARLAKE, Calif. – At its Thursday night meeting the Clearlake City Council directed city staff to begin work on an ordinance to address a growing panhandling problem in the city.
City Manager Joan Phillipe told the council that Clearlake Police officers have been proactive in dealing with an increase in panhandling complaints.
Phillipe said police staff members also have studied how others cities have addressed the issue.
Police Chief Craig Clausen told the council that his agency has received an increase in panhandling complaints relating to city shopping centers, in particular the centers where Ray's Food Place, Safeway and Foods, Etc. are located.
Clausen said current laws on panhandling are fairly limited, and require the property owner to warn pandhandlers. In shopping centers where there are multiple owners, the admonition only serves to move the panhandlers to different areas.
“What we're trying to do is address a problem that is increasing and get on the front side of it,” Clausen said.
He said many cities have ordinances banning aggressive panhandling, and he said police wanted a tool to use so property owners don't have to resort to a citizens' arrest.
Clausen said he received a call from a woman on Wednesday about the problem, and said there are reports of panhandlers moving around, using props and animals, and getting aggressive.
Mayor Joey Luiz asked Clausen if the panhandlers appearing in the city were mostly transients. Clausen said yes.
With the right rules in place, such individuals are likely to move on if they can't make a living in Clearlake, Clausen said.
Councilmember Joyce Overton said she thought signage was important, and wanted to know if property owners could order signs through the Clearlake Police Department.
Clausen said there must be other places to order such signs as some already are in place. Luiz said the best sign to move on are police officers themselves.
Luiz described watching Clearlake Police officers check panhandlers who were collecting money. Many of them had out-of-area identification, and they had been raising money not to buy food but “nice, big refreshing beers.”
At a recent event Luiz said he spoke to a number of leaders from around the region – Eureka, Willits, Lakeport and other areas – and they said they all have panhandler ordinances.
“They've all pushed them out and now they've found their way here,” said Luiz, adding, “That's what I see we're here to deal with tonight.”
No public comment was offered during the discussion, and Luiz, Overton and Vice Mayor Jeri Spittler reached consensus to direct staff to begin work on a panhandler ordinance. Councilmembers Judy Thein and Curt Giambruno were absent from the meeting.
Luiz recounted going to pick up someone from a fast food restaurant and having a man come up to knock on his window twice, first to ask for money and then for cigarettes.
He said he's concerned that such things are happening to the city's tourists.
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