Austin Police Department Wants To Crack Down On Roadside Panhandling

AUSTIN, TX -- The Austin Police Department wants to crack down on panhandlers -- an ever-ubiquitous sight on road shoulders and medians -- and will ask city council members to consider an ordinance restricting their activity.

The APD bases its premise on asking for city regulation on what it deems to be dangerous activity. APD officials also add that the desired ordinance isn’t targeting the homeless, but pedestrians in general, KVUE-TV reports.

Thirty pedestrians were killed on Austin roads last year -- double the number from the previous year -- police told the news station.

Police also said 37 of those killed were homeless and 27 percent had some form of mental illness. Another 18 of those killed were impaired.

The envisioned ordinance would aim toward expanding road medians and shoulders where loitering is prohibited, Austin Police Department Art Fortune said.

“To me, it’s waiting for something to happen,” he said. “If they change the ordinance, they might be able to say ‘hey, you can’t be here; move along.’ ”

The proposal is subject to approval by APD’s so-called Executive Team before going before the Austin City Council for approval.