LARIMER COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — A Facebook post from Larimer County Sheriff Justin Smith is drawing strong controversy.
On Saturday, Smith posted a photo on Facebook with a lengthy comment about panhandlers in the community.
“Have you noticed recently- every time you walk out of a business plastered with HIRING and HELP WANTED signs- you are confronted with these folks? Here is a request from your Sheriff- Please don’t give them money. If you are feeling generous….or guilty- instead, park your car, walk back into the store and hand that $5 to someone who is actually working and struggling to get by. That gesture will be appreciated and will help someone who is already working to help themselves. Every time you hand money to one of these panhandlers, you are incentivizing them not to work- just like the state is doing when they pay people more to sit home, rather than go back to work. If you are fed up with the shortages in production, the broken supply chains and the punitive inflation we are seeing- incentivize people to get back into the workforce. That is the solution to our problem,” shared Smith.
One person commented on the post saying in part, “’ll detach from the dollar to feed my brethren in need. I’ll bring them water to drink. It’s my demonstrations of kindness that show them I love them and also show the contrast between the awakened and the dormant. I’ll turn the other cheek. I’ll feed the hungry. I’ll wash their feet in a basin of hot water..”
Another commented saying, “Couldn’t agree more with this. There are plenty of jobs out there. There is no reason that people supposedly can’t find a job.”
The post has received thousands of comments and been shared nearly 2,000 times as of Monday morning.