THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 20, 1997 TAG: 9702200069
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JON GLASS, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 67 lines
City officials say tighter controls are needed on businesses that hire people to go into neighborhoods and distribute advertising fliers door-to-door.
Their concern stems from a recent crime wave in the Larchmont and Edgewater neighborhoods. Police later learned that 15 of 16 people hired by Chanello's Pizza to hang fliers in those neighborhoods had criminal records, including arrests for burglary, robbery and auto theft.
None of the Chanello's workers has been charged in connection with the December and January crime spree, which included nine burglaries and 11 car thefts.
Members of the City Council on Tuesday asked the city attorney's office to examine whether the city can regulate or restrict door-to-door advertising, a common practice of various businesses throughout Hampton Roads.
``It just seems the potential for criminal activity is so ripe for a situation like that, that a neighborhood ought to be able to do something to regulate that,'' said Mayor Paul D. Fraim, who lives in Larchmont.
``To turn loose a large group of felons . . . to go knocking door to door, is not how we envision our neighborhoods,'' Fraim said. ``I want to find out if there's a licensing or permitting requirement we can ask these businesses to go through.''
City Attorney Philip R. Trapani said he plans to explore the legal issue involved in businesses sending employees ``onto private property to distribute commercial material.''
Councilman W. Randy Wright said he favors background checks on employees who do such work.
``To find out 15 out of 16 had arrest records is unbelievable,'' Wright said. ``I wouldn't want them out canvassing my neighborhood, I got to be honest with you.''
Mike O'Hearn, president of the Larchmont/Edgewater Civic League, said the council's move to regulate the practice is ``a great idea. I think a lot of people feel invaded by it.''
But the effort could run into legal challenges from businesses.
Linda Candler, a spokeswoman for the Better Business Bureau in Hampton Roads, said the practice probably could be legislated, but that ``a more effective route would be for the neighborhood civic league to go to the business and say, `Take us off your route.'
``When government gets involved it always costs money, and it'd be difficult to enforce,'' Candler said.
O'Hearn said the civic league got Chanello's attention by threatening to boycott the company if it continued sending employees in with fliers.
Chanello's is looking into the idea of paying students at nearby Maury High School to distribute fliers there as a way for the students to raise money for school activities.
Chanello's Pizza officials said they had recruited part-time employees from the Union Mission and the Salvation Army in downtown Norfolk to give them an opportunity, and they were among those police found had arrest histories.
Wright said the issue has created broader concerns about the people that the two charitable organizations take in.
``We have real concerns about them housing convicts in the midst of downtown,'' Wright said. ``Somebody needs to get a handle on that.''
Jack Sims, night supervisor for the Union Mission, a religious ministry that offers a shelter on Brooke Avenue, said the organization has an agreement with local police departments and state court agencies to take in people released from jail and prison to help give them a fresh start.
``They're people trying to get a job and get back on their feet,'' Sims said.