MONROE — Responding to recent, albeit rare, sightings of people panhandling at busy corners and intersections in town, city officials say Monroe isn’t likely to generate an ordinance against the practice in the near future.

That’s because such ordinances banning panhandling specifically have been repeatedly ruled unconstitutional in places that have tried, according to City Attorney Dan Bartholf and Police Chief Fred Kelley, who addressed the issue at the July 24 Monroe Judiciary and Ordinance Review Committee.

“It’s a hard one,” Kelley told the committee, conceding that most people do not like to see panhandlers. “But it’s not a common thing.”

Recent incidents of panhandling on the city’s west side have generated complaints to police and other authorities, prompting officials to consider their options for a legal fix. But Bartholf said such options are very few.

“If someone wants to ask for money they can on public property,” said Bartholf. “You can’t regulate that behavior.”

In recent years major cities like Madison and Rockford have tried to regulate panhandling behavior in traffic with no luck in the court system. Panhandlers proliferate at busy street corners in Rockford year-round, routinely walking in traffic and sometimes acting in a menacing or threatening manner, prompting motorists there to complain.

Intimidating motorists is illegal, so the city can prosecute specific instances of that, but any rule targeting panhandling specifically won’t pass constitutional muster, officials agreed. Rockford was relegated to placing signs at the major intersections saying that street panhandling is dangerous, encouraging motorists not to give them money; and providing the phone numbers of social service agencies that can better help the homeless.

And that is the key, Monroe officials reiterated — panhandlers won’t stick around if no one gives them money.

“You can regulate (public and traffic) safety to a certain extent but at some point … people have to be respnsible for themselves,” Kelley said.

Toward that end, Ald. Heidi Treuthart said the city will likely investigate efforts to inform the public rather than passing new panhandling ordinances and handing the matter over to the local police.

Officials need to “educate the public that this is a constitutional right,” she said.

Chief Kelley agreed, saying “if you don’t give them money it’s a waste of time (for them) to be here.”