If you've walked the Las Vegas Strip lately, you might have noticed less people selling water, alcohol and other items on the sidewalks.
Officer Heather LaGraves with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said sidewalk vendors often have an intricate way of doing business illegally.
"They come out, they even bring Walkie Talkies to communicate. They see us coming and then they let their buddies know," LaGraves said.
A new approach is helping get to the root of the issue. Since January, officers have sent some violators to community court where they can access social services.
"Some of the people who come out here don't have jobs, and hopefully we can get them on the right track to get a job so they're not out here," LaGraves said.
LaGraves said so far the program has been successful at decreasing sidewalk vendors. However, some people don't think community court goes far enough to help violators who need it.
"I've seen other water people just be carted off right to jail," said Steve Eckert, who panhandles on the Las Vegas Strip. "You shouldn't be taking them to jail, you should bring them stuff that helps them get a business license."
Police said they must enforce the county ordinance especially to make sure the items being sold on the Strip are safe.
