Covington police officers have a delicate balance to manage now that the city has a panhandling ordinance.

Chief Kevin Klason said the City Council passed the law in December in response to citizen requests, but Amy Jo Pearsall, the city attorney at the time, developed it to also protected the rights of the panhandlers who are protected by the First Amendment.

“We have seen in the last couple years a big increase in the number of panhandlers,” Klason said. “For some reason Covington has been rather attractive to them. The ordinance focuses primarily on the aggressive nature of some panhandlers.”

According to Karla Slate, a spokeswoman for the city, at the time the ordinance was passed “the Covington City Council adopted the strongest ordinance the City’s attorneys could draft and defend in court.”

Prior to the adoption of the law, Klason said, there was nothing that prohibited panhandlers from congregating in one of two popular spots in the city at the corner of Wax Road and Southeast 272nd Street or at the off ramp of state Route 18 for eastbound traffic.

“They were on a public sidewalk, they were not committing any kind of crime,” Klason said. “Even under today’s ordinance it’s not a problem. As long as they are passively there, soliciting donations, there’s no issue.”

What police officers can enforce is the ordinance’s prohibition of what is described as “aggressive begging.”

The ordinance states, “aggressive begging” includes intimidating someone into giving money or goods, using false or misleading information while panhandling, begging with the intent to engage in unsafe activities, or soliciting at locations in a way that threatens others safety or impedes on the safe flow of traffic among other things.

Thus far, complaints from Covington residents have not led to any citations or arrests, Klason said. Primarily the police are called because the panhandlers make drivers uncomfortable while waiting for a light to change.

Klason said his officers have spoken with many of the panhandlers and made them aware of the ordinance and what behaviors would get them in trouble.

In December shortly after the ordinance was passed, Covington police also went out to camps where many of the panhandlers had set up tents not far from their favorite spots, as many of those folks are homeless either by choice or as a result of the rough economic times.

Because the homeless camps were on private property, Klason said, officers asked the occupants to leave but he said they made an effort to direct them to services by offering them a list put together by Victoria Throm, the city’s human services specialist.

“The unfortunate thing is there are not a whole lot of resources out here in this part of the county especially east of Kent,” Klason said. “Some of them said they don’t want to be in Seattle, it’s too dangerous.”

While the ordinance is intended to protect citizens it’s hard for the police to pursue a case if a victim doesn’t come forward.

“If they cross the line and violate this we can’t do anything unless the victim is willing to be a participant, if the victim is willing to testify we can put together a case and submit it,” Klason said. “It’s nice to have a tool to use so that we can take some action if the citizens get involved and there’s a problem.”

Klason also advised that for those who feel compelled to contribute to panhandlers it is best to avoid giving them cash.

“Some of these folks are driven by choice and some of them are driven by economic necessity,” he said. “My guess is the reason many of them stay here is because it’s productive. If you feel compelled to give them something give them coupons or gift cards they can use for food or shelter.”