City of Colorado
Springs establishes a Solicitation Exclusion Zone The City of Colorado
Springs intends to establish a "Solicitation Exclusion Zone," which
would include most of downtown, according to Police Commander Kurt Pillard, who
heads the Gold Hill Division, which includes downtown. Pillard said that individuals
who have been convicted of aggressive panhandling will be barred from the zone
for a year. Such individuals, once identified, would be subject to immediate arrest
if found within the boundaries of the zone. Such exclusion zones are already in
place to combat prostitution on South Nevada and East Platte avenues. These zones,
which have been in existence for several years, have substantially reduced street
prostitution and solicitation since being established, Pillard said. The program
would be similar to one that was put in place several years ago, Pillard said.
At that time, about 20 transients were identified as "aggressive panhandlers"
and, through a court process similar to that contemplated for the Exclusion Zone,
barred from the downtown area. Pillard said that all those individuals have left
the Pikes Peak Region. "We'll be working with the City Attorney's Office
to establish the program, and put together a list [of individuals]," Pillard
said. He said that the zone would be in place "soon." The City Attorney's
Office did not return calls from the Business Journal prior to the paper's deadline.
Panhandlers, transients and single homeless men have long been cited by downtown
retailers, restaurateurs and businesspeople as a major obstacle to downtown revitalization.
Despite any positive economic effects that the exclusion zone might create, Alan
Chen, professor of law at University of Denver, believes the practice, if initiated,
could raise several Constitutional issues. "In limited circumstances, the
government can limit the places people can go, but this sounds too broad,"
he said. For instance, Chen said the police can get an injunction against a specific
person who might cause harm to another specific person. Also, buildings can be
secured against the general public. "But a sidewalk?" he asked. "I've
never seen anything like that in this context. In general, it certainly seems
to raise some Constitutional questions." However, downtown merchants seemed
more inclined to welcome the plan. "I think it's a great plan, but how are
they going to control it?" asked Jeanne Galvin, who owns clothier Mt. Tejon.
Galvin said she has never heard any of her customers complain about panhandlers,
"but do I know if it's kept people from even coming in? No, I don't know."
Robin Johannes, co-owner of Johannes Hunter Jewelers was ecstatic about the proposal.
"Halle-flippin'-lujah," she said. "It's about time." While
she admitted that the exclusion zone is an extreme measure, she said it's relative
to how extreme the downtown panhandling problem has become. "Most people
are not comfortable with being approached by people asking for money, and women
especially aren't," she said. "I think the absolute best plan they ever
had for downtown was when they talked about moving the soup kitchen, but now they're
building a bigger one down here." Johannes said she's seen people pass up
parking spots on Tejon Street because panhandlers were present. Laszlo Palos,
general manager Terra Verde, said he is all for an exclusion zone. "I just
think there should be a zero tolerance policy," he said.
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