LINZ. The latest figures from the public order service show worrying trends, says City Councillor for Security Michael Raml. Begging is increasingly taking place in outlying districts, and in some cases minors are involved.
The security service employees are mostly out and about in the city center of Linz and primarily monitor compliance with the ban on begging in certain places and the ban on alcohol in the city of Linz’s parks. In July, 77 cases of begging were documented, 57 of which were reported. Minors were also involved in three cases. In such a case, a report is then made to the Social, Youth and Family Department.
In the outskirts, the security teams had to intervene eleven times.
Volksgarten still in focus
The security staff often wear plain clothes so that they can take more effective action against illegal begging. Checks are most often carried out in inner-city parks, especially in the Volksgarten.
“The latest figures clearly show how important the daily presence of our law enforcement service is in Linz. With 77 cases of begging in July and 258 documented official actions to enforce the alcohol ban, it is clear that our measures are necessary to maintain order and security. Particularly worrying is the trend that begging is increasingly taking place in the outskirts and that in some cases minors are involved. We must continue to take consistent action against such violations in order to strengthen the citizens’ sense of security and to maintain Linz as a city worth living in,” said security officer City Councilor Michael Raml (FP).
