ASHEVILLE, NC. (WLOS) — Asheville Police, with the city council’s approval, have ramped up efforts to crack down on panhandlers.
From Airport Road to Smokey Park Highway to Patton Avenue, the Asheville Police Department (APD) is assigning at least one officer to a full-time shift each week to focus on community issues, specifically panhandling, which is illegal in high-traffic zones and from medians.
APD reports that the department has issued 22 tickets for panhandling and related offenses since the council approved a stricter ordinance in August, expanding the zones where it’s illegal…