BRATTLEBORO, Vermont — Brattleboro officials are at odds with the Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union over a recent letter urging the town to repeal an anti-panhandling ordinance.
The Brattleboro Reformer reports Town Manager Peter Elwell said Tuesday the ACLU’s letter was “beyond disappointing” and untrue in how it described the way the town’s police department was managing panhandling.
The ACLU listed several towns in its letter, including Bennington, Montpelier and Winooski.
ACLU staff attorney Jay Diaz says the letter was not intended to impugn the police department. However, he says data shows Brattleboro police enforced their anti-panhandling ordinance more than any other municipality they reviewed.
Elwell says town officials will consider repealing the ordinance.
Police officials have not responded to a request for comment.
Featured image by Beyond My Ken used under Creative Commons license 4.0.
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