Addressing Aggressive Panhandling: A Case Study

On the above date and time Detective Russo and I responded to the area of Murphy USA, reference a trespasser.

Dispatch advised me that a White male, who was wearing a gray tee-shirt with shorts was harassing customers at Murphy USA by "aggressively" panhandling and cursing. The complainant and employee at Murphy USA, Tammy Bruner, was requesting that the subject be trespassed if he was observed on the property. I was further advised that the subject had been panhandling several times at the location and he refused to leave when asked by management.

Upon arrival at Murphy USA, I observed a White male subject who matched the description given by dispatch. The subject, who I identified as, Kyle Mathew Vallimont, was located in the parking lot.

The employee and witness, identified as Dennis John Michaelson, observed Vallimont thrown a small purple bag onto the ground when I walked back to my patrol vehicle. The witness stated that the bag came from Vallimont's left front pants pocket.

Detective Russo and I proceeded back to where Vallimont was sitting. There was a purple bag on the ground directly located next to Vallimont that was not present when I first approached him. I retrieved the bag, which contained two white roaches or "joints." The roaches are commonly associated with drug paraphernalia. The roaches contained a green, burnt substance. When asked, Vallimont denied owning the bag.

Vallimont appeared to become aggressive and argumentative. Due to the totality of circumstances, Vallimont was then detained in handcuffs and placed in my patrol vehicle.

I returned to my patrol vehicle and tested the substance inside of both roaches. The substance tested positive for THC, the ingredient found in marijuana. The weight of both roaches was less than 1 gram. The test was conducted using a marijuana field presumptive kit. Detective Russo took several photos of the bag and where it was located. The photos where later entered into evidenced at the Port Richey Police