Three new ordinances seeking to reduce juvenile crime and disturbances in downtown Oxford were approved 4-1 by council last week.
An ordinance prohibiting loitering, another prohibiting skateboards, scooters, mopeds, extreme sports, extreme rollerblading and extreme biking, and a third imposing curfews for minors were approved following a lengthy public hearing Jan. 11.
All three ordinances only apply to ‘public places? as specifically defined in the ordinances.
Parents, kids and citizens packed the council chambers to ask questions, offer suggestions and voice concerns regarding the three ordinances.
Regarding the curfew, one parent asked if kids coming home from late movies at the Oxford 7 Cinema would be cited if they were out after 11 p.m.
Police Chief Mike Neymanowski, who was involved in crafting the ordinances? language, said such a scenario would fall under the ‘legitimate business purpose? exception spelled out in the ordinance.
Coming home from a movie qualifies as ‘legitimate business? and a valid reason to be out past curfew, therefore the minor wouldn’t be cited, he said.
‘These ordinances are specifically for kids out here that area not obeying the rules,? Neymanowski said. ‘Simple as that. If you’re out here obeying the rules, you got no problem with any of these.?
The chief’s message to the kids was ‘use common sense,? ‘abide by some simple rules? and remember it’s ‘not a free-for-all? downtown.
Councilman Steve Allen, who helped draft the ordinances, told the audience the primary motivator behind them is the ‘steady increase in juvenile crime in Oxford? and the ‘Number One age group? committing these acts is 12 to 15-year-olds.
Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, 2004 Allen said the following juvenile crime incidents were reported:
n 6 assaults
n 23 larcenies
n 11 drug-related incidents
n 8 disturbances
n 13 malicious destruction of property incidents
n 62 loitering incidents
n 23 trespassing incidents
n 2 pedestrian injuries
n 8 ordinance violations
n 50-plus incidents of underage drinking
n 22 other various juvenile complaints
All this has caused a ‘dramatic increase? in local police manhours, Allen said.
‘The Village of Oxford in 2004 dedicated 1,500 manhours to juvenile patrols on Friday and Saturday nights,? he said. ‘At least one motor unit is dedicated to juvenile patrols on Friday and Saturday nights.?
‘I would encourage more of you to go downtown on a Friday or Saturday night, wander around and drink it all in,? Allen told audience members. ‘It’s ridiculous what goes on down there.?
‘There’s been a lot of warning going on,? said village President Renee Donovan. ‘There’s been nothing to give our chief or our police department or our businesses any recourse. That’s one of the reasons this was brought to us.?
Many of the complaints have come from business owners, Allen noted.
Concerns were raised by audience members that the village was trying to ‘outlaw? skateboarding and biking within the village limits.
Allen said this assertion was ‘absolutely not true.?
The councilman said the village is trying to help downtown business owners who have experienced lots of problems with juveniles interfering with customer and pedestrian traffic by blocking their entrances or doorways either through hanging out (loitering) or skateboarding in front of them.
Under these new ordinances, Allen said, ‘It’s not illegal to ride your skateboard on the sidewalk in a residential area.?
The ordinances only affect downtown and other places of business, not neighborhoods or residential areas, the councilman said. ‘This is really written around the business areas of the village,? the councilman said.
‘No skateboards downtown at all, period,? Allen stressed.
Audience members asked if it was still allowed to ride a bicycle or rollerblade downtown.
Allen said normal rollerblading and biking for transportation and exercise purposes was still welcome downtown, but ‘extreme rollerblading? and ‘extreme biking? as defined in the ordinance are not.
‘Extreme? rollerblading and biking are defined as ‘including, but not limited to, jumping, grinding, tricks and any other actions with the device other than being solely used for transport purposes.?
Allen said last summer following a concert in Centennial Park he saw some youths ‘grinding on the benches and handrails? of the gazebo. When he approached them to ask them to stop, he was met with rudeness and vulgar language, the councilman said.
‘I see two of them sitting in this room,? Allen said.
Village President Renee Donovan said she witnessed kids ‘hanging? and ‘swinging? from the rafters in the gazebo.
‘That can cause damage,? she said.
Donovan said ‘sitting and talking and laughing in the park? or ‘playing in the snow? is different than destroying property.
Some audience members expressed concern that the broadness or vagueness of the ordinances? language could lead to abuse by the police officers interpreting and enforcing them. One parent told the council the language needed to be more specific so kids could clearly understand what they can and can’t do.
Allen said the ordinances are written the way they are so officers can exercise their judgement and discretion in applying them on a case-by-case basis. He said the language gives officers some ‘leeway? and the ‘opportunity to use common sense.?
One lady warned the fines included as punishments in the ordinances could become a revenue source for the village.
Allen assured her this was not the case. The councilman said the court keeps a majority of the fine money.
‘We get about 10 percent ? 10 cents on the dollar,? he said, noting that out of that 10 cents, the village must pay its prosecutor and police force.
Allen said last year it cost the village $18,000 to process its court cases, which include traffic citations. ‘Unless you have your own court in your own community,? the councilman said prosecuting ordinance violations and traffic citations is a ‘negative revenue stream.?
One complaint that was voiced by both kids and parents ? there’s nothing to do in Oxford.
Kim Rizzo, an eighth-grader at Oxford Middle School, said there’s nowhere else for kids to go except for Starbucks and Oxford 7 Cinema.
‘What is there to do?,? she said, adding there’s a need for a teen center in Oxford, ‘a place to go.?
Village resident George Herring echoed a similar sentiment.
‘My concern is were not giving the kids an outlet,? he said. ‘We’re taking things away because of kids being disruptive.?
Herring said it’s ‘unfair? to treat all the kids ? the troublemakers and well-behaved ones ? the same and he does ‘see the need for a place for the kids to go.?
‘We’re basically saying, ‘Kids don’t come downtown. If you do and you stay there too long, you’re going to be in trouble,?? Herring said.
Councilman Matt Weber offered a different view.
‘I’ve heard a bunch of them (kids) tonight say, ‘Well, there’s nothing for us to do.? When I was growing up, there was no X-Box, no Play Station, no Internet. There are things to do. You get creative,? Weber said. ‘Businesses aren’t open in this community to make it a hangout for kids.?
Ramp Park Committee volunteer Sue Jones urged the teens in attendance to behave themselves downtown or risk jepoardizing the ramp park project.
‘If you guys upset the people that own the businessess by not obeying the rules, they’re not going to give us any money and the (ramp) park’s not going to get built,? she said. ‘And that’s all this is about ? obeying the rules and not causing problems.?
Councilman Dave Bailey cast the lone vote against all three ordinances due to his opposition to two words in the language and his concern one of the ordinances could infringe on ‘the (constitutional) right of the people to peaceably assemble.?
‘The last time I looked, village council couldn’t amend the U.S. Constitution,? Bailey said.