The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Officials, businesses owners seek to counter rise in panhandling
Stakeholders say the issue is more prevalent with fewer walkers, visitors
MIDDLETOWN — Law enforcement officials, business owners and the city are brainstorming ways to curb an increase in panhandling, which they say has become more pressing because of lower levels of foot traffic on Main Street during the pandemic.
Police Capt. Rich Davis and Mayor Ben Florsheim said there have been instances in which an individual has become aggressive when asking for money from a passerby, causing distress for those who are preoccupied by filling parking meters or attending to other tasks.
The mayor said panhandling can be done in different ways, simply asking for money, or when people are more demanding in their appeal.
“When it comes to loiterers who don’t request money … officers can ask people to move along. We can’t take any prosecutorial or punitive action when people are asking for money in public spaces,” Florsheim said.
“If people are getting into altercations, if they’re following people, that is something we need police intervention for,” Florsheim said.
Davis and Florsheim addressed the issue at Wednesday’s Downtown Business District meeting,
KidCity Museum founder and DBD board member Jen Alexander gave an example of a mother buckling her infant into a car seat or people walking with older people. “Somebody can’t just walk away,” she said.
Recently, folks also have been using the corridors at Main Street Market to find respite from the cold, according to Capt. Rich Davis. “Our officers have been addressing the loitering, panhandling, people sitting on the floors in there as much as we can, but we’re shuffling.
“We kick them out, they go somewhere else,” Davis said. “It’s not a good look.”
Alexander said she believes a “culture change” would make panhandling more difficult. “Doing nothing really leads to a level of growth that then is extremely difficult to solve,” she said.
“When...people come to the city, they want to eat, they walk to a parking lot, and they get approached. Most of them don’t like it. They want to be on their way,” Davis said. “They don’t want to wait for an officer to come over, take a statement, and have the person prosecuted.”
Davis said it’s causing visitors not to return to Middletown, and that’s happening more frequently.
Police foot patrols helped the situation at restaurants and other businesses over the summer, Florsheim said.
One of the challenges that has arisen is a backlog of cases in the judicial system, the mayor said. Citations are often a lower priority compared to more urgent matters facing the courts. “It’s not in the first tier,” Florsheim said.
The problem has moved to the forefront because of the city’s effort to prepare for reopening more businesses once the warmer weather comes, and restaurants begin again serving diners outside, meeting participants said. Entrepreneurs and stakeholders are hoping an increase of people downtown as the spring and summer approach will somewhat alleviate the situation, they said.
DBD Vice Chairwoman Diane Gervais, owner of Amato’s Toy & Hobby, said the problem appears to be greater with fewer pedestrians walking around.
Alexander sees two issues — one is changing what is deemed as aggressive behavior, as well as the perception that Middletown is regarded as a “compassionate’ community. She suggested the city hire a point person who could call in social workers for these types of incidents rather than police, which Florsheim said he supports.
The business community could work with the city to pool money to support even a short-term position, Alexander said. “Worst comes to worse, (they could) stand with that person, and make it less lucrative to ask for money,” she said.
“There’s no silver-bullet solution, which means we have to work together,” Florsheim said.
Connecting people to various resources, such as cards with important addresses and services, as has been done in the past (with “Middletown Cares,”) can direct individuals to the food pantry and soup kitchen, for example, commercial Realtor Trevor Davis said.
Trevor Davis said he’s involved with First Church on Court Street, which has an issue with people congregating outside — sometimes all day.
The DBD used to hire guides who would help people find their way and provide other services, Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce Larry McHugh said, something he suggests the DBD could reinstitute.
The mayor said he’ll look into what other communities are doing and report back at the next meeting.
DBD Secretary and owner of Malloves Jewelers, Marc Levin, is concerned the problem could also impact future economic development. “If we don’t keep Main Street above the curve, all the outside investments, on the waterfront and things like that, will not happen. We need to get on top of this,” he said.