Recently–as a result of a Federal District Court ruling that a Grand Junction panhandling ordinance is UNCONSTITUTIONAL (because it violates a person’s free speech rights)–Denver Police Chief Robert White instructed all Denver Police Department officers to stop ticketing people under the Denver Panhandling Ordinance (Section 38-132)!
This means cops SHOULD NOT ticket you for sitting or standing on public
space asking for money, or flying a sign to do so, EVEN IF IT’S:
# Near a public toilet (public toilet?? What’s that???)
# Near an ATM machine
# Near a bus or shuttle stop
# Near the entrance to a building
# After dark
# Near an outdoor patio where food or drinks are served
BUT–You CAN still be ticketed for aggressive panhandling--
if, in the course of panhandling, you:
* Touch or cause physical contact with someone against their will
* Interfere with the safe or free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle
* Use violent or threatening gestures or abusive language toward someone
* Along with others, act in an intimidating way as you approach or
follow someone
* Remain on private property after being asked to stop or leave
* Are on or near a street or highway.
As a stopgap measure, on November 9th Denver City Council
voted to modify the ordinance, eliminating the parts that the court
in Grand Junction ruled to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
City Council said they plan to revisit the ordinance in the future.
Meanwhile…
if you DO get harassed or ticketed or told to stop panhandling,
in violation of Chief White’s order–LET US KNOW!
2260 California St
or by contacting us at: 720.940.5291
This means cops SHOULD NOT ticket you for sitting or standing on public
space asking for money, or flying a sign to do so, EVEN IF IT’S:
# Near a public toilet (public toilet?? What’s that???)
# Near an ATM machine
# Near a bus or shuttle stop
# Near the entrance to a building
# After dark
# Near an outdoor patio where food or drinks are served
BUT–You CAN still be ticketed for aggressive panhandling--
if, in the course of panhandling, you:
* Touch or cause physical contact with someone against their will
* Interfere with the safe or free passage of a pedestrian or vehicle
* Use violent or threatening gestures or abusive language toward someone
* Along with others, act in an intimidating way as you approach or
follow someone
* Remain on private property after being asked to stop or leave
* Are on or near a street or highway.
As a stopgap measure, on November 9th Denver City Council
voted to modify the ordinance, eliminating the parts that the court
in Grand Junction ruled to be UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
City Council said they plan to revisit the ordinance in the future.
Meanwhile…
if you DO get harassed or ticketed or told to stop panhandling,
in violation of Chief White’s order–LET US KNOW!
2260 California St
or by contacting us at: 720.940.5291
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