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>> hello, welcome to this
edition of "montgomery county
police beat."
i am here with the montgomery
county police chief to discuss
current community issues from
the perspective of our police
force.
Tom, welcome.
Recently you joined the county
executive george leventhal in a
host of faith and homeless
advocacy I am rejig -- advocacy
and community service I and a
campaign to address the issue of
panhandling.
Can you talk about that gecko >>
I can.
Over the years there has been an
issue of panhandling rejig talk
about that?
-- talk about that?
>> I can.
Over the years there has been an
issue of panhandling that has
been getting bigger for us.
First and foremost, there is
safety.
There is no question that these
folks walking through lanes of
traffic, running in and out to
the donations, it is a danger to
them and a distraction to
drivers.
It has resulted in a number of
crashes and earlier this year
the death of one of the
panhandlers who was standing on
the median when a car lost
control and she was killed.
It is a safety issue, first and
foremost.
The issue we are trying to
educate the public on is the
fact that the money does not go
where you think it is going.
These folks hold up signs, some
of them say that my child is
hungry, things that really tug
at your heartstrings and make
you want to donate, but the fact
is that what we know is that
many of these folks have
substance abuse issues and that
the money is not going towards
something to help them, it is
just going to drugs and alcohol,
that sort of thing.
The purpose of the campaign is
to try to educate the public to
give more intelligently.
So, we are hoping that people
will donate to food banks and to
other causes that really will
help these individuals who are
homeless, who are in need, who
go hungry.
We are trying to make sure that
the public, if they are going to
give, that they know where they
can give to really help these
folks and stop giving money to
panhandlers, because it does not
help.
>> I thought that
what was most
striking about the event and the
campaign is the people doing the
homeless accuracy -- homeless
advocacy, they are doing this
work every day.
You might expect them to say
no,
continue to give money, and they
are very *** this.
They say -- look, the money does
not help them, it keeps them on
the street and on the street
they are not safe, they are
competing to support whatever
habits they have and we need to
get people off the street and
give them help.
What is striking is how people
have said -- why is the county
government telling people -- but
it is advocacy.
>> it is a universal message
from people on all sides of this
issue, something they seem to be
able to get behind.
I am hoping that the public
understands that we are not
trying to be insensitive to the
needs of these folks, we are
trying to educate drivers that
giving that money does not help,
the money does not go where you
think it goes and it just makes
the problem worse.
Above all, it is just not safe.
We are asking folks to give
smarter
to make a difference in
these folks lives.
>> we set up a text from folks
cell phones, if they text share
to
80077, they can contribute
money to montgomery county
groups who do the nitty-gritty
work.
>> again, we are trying to help
folks.
Trying to make sure we send a
message that giving to
panhandlers industry does not
help.
>> some people would say -- why
can you not tell them to move
along?
>> it is against the law.
And, really, I know that that
would not be the best solution,
even if we could.
These folks need assistance.
>> but
they are out there
panhandling for money, so if
people do not give them money?
>>
the only way that this
panhandling problem is going to
stop is if people stop giving
the money.
>> October 1, a
change in state
law is coming that will be
important for montgomery county
residents to know about
having
to deal with hand-held cell
phone use.
can you talk about the change
that is coming echo >> it has
been against the law for a while
to talk on your phone while
driving, but up until now it
has
in a secondary offense, meaning
that if a police officer sees
you talking on your cell phone,
unless you are doing something
else wrong --
>> like running a red light --
>> yes,
it is just a simple
violation, but as of October 1
it becomes a primary violation.
Operating a vehicle while
talking on a cell phone, you can
be stopped for that offense.
Municipalities, rockville city,
gaithersburg, takoma park, we
have all gotten together, all
the police chiefs, to talk about
how best to enforce this law and
educate the public to let them
know that there is going to be
added enforcement now because it
is a primary offense.
We are going
to go on a public
education campaign to let folks
know that it is not a smart
thing to do.
Most folks know it is against
the law, but you cannot drive
down the road without seeing
someone.
>> like many issues, we
are all
saints and we are all sinners.
We complain about being in
traffic and seeing someone
talking on their cell phone, but
the next day that someone could
be us.
>> as we know, the technology
has gotten to a point where you
can do it safely.
Some folks think that talking on
the phone with a bluetooth
device in your car, that it is
still a distraction, but that is
not against the law.
What is against the law is to
have it in your hand, texting
has always remained against the
law.
You need to focus on your
driving.
We look at the number of
crashes, the number of fatal
crashes we have every day in
this country, you can tie so
many of them back to distracted
drivers.
Many years ago I recall when I
was learning to drive the big
issue was -- do not be playing
with the radio.
>> that was
back when you had to
twist the dial.
[Laughter]
>>
now there are so many more
distractions that we have.
Everyone has a phone.
We have gps.
Trying to do all of these things
while we are driving, it all
takes our focus away from what
we should be drive rigid
focusing on.
This distracted driving issue
just gets more and more
troublesome in terms of the
number of crashes that we are
seeing with people driving while
distracted.
We used to make fun of people
who were eating while driving,
shaving, all of these kinds of
things, it is just getting worse
with these other
devices.
Folks need to know that talking
on a cell phone is a primary
offense.
I get calls fairly
frequently
from folks saying -- I saw one
of your police officers talking
on the phone.
Whether you agree with it or
not, the law exempts law-
enforcement personnel, they are
doing official business and are
allowed to be on the phone.
>> I think it also exempts
people calling 911.
>> there are other exemptions.
Most of them you have to prove
that it was an emergency call,
but public safety personnel,
firefighters, paramedics,
hospitals transporting patients,
that sort of thing.
I have encouraged my
officers to
understand how the public views
that, that it can look like
we
are being overly critical here.
It is really about safety.
Again, public safety personnel
are exempted, but we still need
to be careful and judicious and
I have advised my folks who have
the perception of using a phone.
The bottom line for the public
is that it is a primary offense,
you can be stopped, you can
receive a citation.
>> and police are going to
enforce it.
>> they are, they are.
We have
a public educating
campaign coming up I and the
first 60 days and other police
departments May start enforcing
it earlier, but we are trying to
give the public and education
campaign before we do a lot of
enforcement, but ultimately the
law will have to be enforced.
>> now, finds from this offense
go where he echo >> I think it
is outlined in the law.
I think I recall seeing that $50
was the fine.
Multiple offenses,
it can always
go up from there.
>> money itself goes to the
state?
>> yes.
>> this has nothing to do with
the montgomery county budget,
does it?
>> any time we write a citation
to someone, the fine goes to the
state.
>> another change
on October 1
has to do with seat belts.
>> previously if you were over
16 years old and sitting in the
backseat of a car, you were not
required by law to wear a
seatbelt.
That is changing.
Everyone I and rejig -- everyone
in the vehicle has to wear a
seatbelt now.
Everyone under the age of 16 had
to be belted.
You had requirements for child
safety seats for younger folks,
but as of October 1, everyone is
vehicle, front seat, backseat,
no matter where you are how you
are required to wear a seatbelt.
>> you have a traffic division
that specializes in these
issues, but a police officer
that is on patrol and involved
in enforcement?
>> absolutely.
Traffic enforcement is one of
their many duties.
I can recall very vividly
when I
was a patrol officer you were
often looking for many different
things.
Responding to different calls
for service, while doing these
things you would see someone
drive by with some sort
of
violation, a moving violation or
not wearing a seatbelt -- as you
see these things you
make the
stops and can warn someone or
make a citation -- we have that
discretion.
It is part of the duty of every
police officer to do that kind
of traffic enforcement.
>> those are a lot
of things for
people to take into account
regarding changes in the law.
Panhandling, is not safe, does
not help.
Do not give.
Thank
you for watching again.
Please join us again next month
for another edition of
"montgomery county police beat
peer quote -- "montgomery county
police beat."