Even as Colorado Springs police advocate for a law to fight panhandling in the heart of downtown, the department spokeswoman can’t resist an outstretched hand.

Barbara Miller gave money to a panhandler on the corner of Tejon Street and Pikes Peak Avenue Thursday morning; The Gazette was interviewing downtown panhandlers and photographed the exchange.

“When I see someone I perceive to be in need, my immediate reaction is to help, which is what I thought I was doing earlier today,” Miller said in email.

“In retrospect, I understand that social service agencies have suggested that giving money isn’t necessarily the best way to offer assistance,” Miller added. “But, I’ve been blessed with a compassionate heart and I’m thankful for that. Should an ordinance be passed to ban panhandling in certain/all areas – of course I will abide by it.”

The City Attorney’s Office is proposing a no solicitation zone downtown to stop panhandling, which merchants say is hurting business and scaring customers away. Police Chief Pete Carey spoke in favor of the proposed ordinance last month.

The City Council is scheduled to consider the proposed ordinance on first reading Oct. 9 and, if approved, on second and final reading Oct. 23.

The proposed no solicitation zone is bordered roughly by Boulder and Cucharras streets and Nevada and Cascade avenues. It excludes places traditionally considered “areas of public forum,” including Acacia Park and the grounds around City Hall, the Pioneer’s Museum, the county courthouse and the downtown library.

Business owners and residents on the west side of Colorado Springs, where panhandling is also a problem, want the city to create a zone to fight panhandling there, too.

At a west-side meeting Wednesday, Welling Clark, president of the Organization of Westside Neighbors, said efforts were under way to launch a countywide multimedia anti-panhandling campaign to teach residents not to give money to panhandlers. Clark said the money is typically used by panhandlers to buy alcohol and drugs.

“Give it to a charity,” Clark told the audience of about 100 people.

Bob Holmes, executive director of Homeward Pikes Peak, the area’s coordinating agency for homeless services, agreed with Clark’s advice. He said there’s a 99 percent chance panhandlers will use the money they collect to buy alcohol, drugs or cigarettes.

“Usually alcohol is where it goes,” Holmes said. “They save up enough to get a pint of Skol, which is the cheapest vodka you can buy.”

Holmes laughed when told that the police spokeswoman had been photographed giving money to a panhandler.

“I think there’s a miscommunication somewhere – an egregious miscommunication,” he said.

Holmes said the police chief and members of the department’s Homeless Outreach Team, among others, are on board with discouraging people from giving money to panhandlers.

“The police department has been 99.9 percent behind this. I was going to say 100 percent, but now I don’t know,” he said.

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Contact Daniel Chacón: 476-1623

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Colorado Springs police spokeswoman Barbara Miller hands money to a panhandler Thursday in downtown Colorado Springs. Photo by DANIEL CHACON/The Gazette file