WILMINGTON — Panhandling is the biggest problem facing Wilmington’s Central Business District, according to a recent survey created by the Wilmington Police Department and conducted by Wilmington Downtown Inc. with more than 60% of respondents listing it as their main concern for the area.
“A survey conducted among Central Business District residents and business owners showed 73% of those surveyed feel safe at night in downtown Wilmington, while 62% saw panhandling as the number one problem in the area. The survey was created by the Wilmington Police Department and distributed by Wilmington Downtown Inc. to several hundred business owners and residents in February. 90 individuals responded. The survey was conducted to measure the perception of safety in the downtown community,” according to WPD spokeswoman Linda Thompson.
Panhandling might be the biggest concern for residents and business owners, however, police are limited when it comes to what they can and cannot do to stop the practice since the question of First Amendment issues come into play.
Related: Panhandling is protected by the First Amendment, aggression is not
“While Part 1 crime continues to go down in the Central Business District, it is also important to know how people feel about the area”, Ralph Evangelous, Wilmington Police Chief said. “We will take the results of this survey and try to address any concerns respondents may have. We are also looking closely at the panhandling issue.”
Of the 22 different questions, other concerns for the CBD included homelessness, illegal drugs, and vandalism.
“The survey contained 22 questions which measured everything from panhandling to lighting and vandalism in the area. It also asked respondents how often they saw an officer during the daytime, 46% responded frequently. The Central Business District boundaries include 3rd Street to the Cape Fear River and bridge to bridge,” Thompson said, referring to the Isabel Holmes and Cape Fear Memorial bridges.
The full survey can be found online.
