CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Panhandling is something commonly seen in the Coastal Bend, however It's up to the public to decide if they want to give a panhandler cash or not.
3NEWS caught up with The Corpus Christi Police Department and shares some tips on when to report a panhandler.
CCPD Public Information Officer, LT. Michael Pena spoke with 3NEWS and said, "I wouldn't consider it an issue. Does it happen? Yes. Is it rampant? No."
However, Aggressive panhandling is illegal and not tolerated in the city of Corpus Christi. Pena stated, "If they approach you and you tell them no and they continue to follow you, using aggressive or obscene language, basically not taking no for an answer."
LT. Pena says while aggressive pan handling isn't a huge problem in Corpus Christi, it is important for the community to report it.
"The goal isn't to give out citations. The goal is to educate, but that doesn't mean we won't give out a citation that first time." Lt. Pena added.
The CCPD LT. told 3NEWS there's another way to help the homeless population and pan handlers instead of giving one person cash. "There are many charitable organizations here in Corpus Christi. This way, you know where the money is going." Pena said.
Organizations like the 'Salvation Army, Mission 911 and Catholic Charities are non-profits dedicated to helping folks get back on their feet.
More from 3News on KIIITV.com:
- 'It was everything': Corpus Christi native speaks about filming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
- Corpus Christi sold its water to Exxon, gambling on desalination. So far, it is losing the bet.
- Vietnam Memorial Traveling Wall comes to Kingsville Nov. 10-13
- Mi Gente: CC photographer helped NASA bring photos of the moon to the public
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for your daily news and exclusive extended interviews.
Do you have a news tip? Tell 3!
Put your name and contact information below, or email tell3@kiiitv.com, so we can get in touch with you about your story should we have questions or need more information. We realize some stories are sensitive in nature. Let us know if you'd like to remain anonymous.
If you do not have a photo/video to submit, just click "OK" to skip that prompt.