Pay squeegee kids to collect trash instead

Don't waste money on paying unarmed security guards to stand around and look at squeegee kids (“Baltimore’s squeegee dilemma,” Oct. 18). Instead, use that money to purchase handheld reachers and trash bags for the kids and pay the kids to pick up trash. They could earn $5 to $10 per bag collected.

For the kids, a truck and driver would also have to be hired to take the filled bags to Sisson Street or the nearest trash collection site. I use a reacher to pick up trash every day on Tivoly Avenue, and I can't even tell you how much fun it is! You can do it anywhere! It's also very gratifying to see the immediate results! You don't even have to bend over!

The Baltimore City Department of Public Works tries to keep up with it, but there are many streets where kids could easily find enough trash to fill several bags every day — with the right incentive.