Reply With QuoteUnder the circumstances, the chief sounds very reasonable. Hopefully the cops on patrol have this same attitude.
I wounder if they would have a problem with me cranking "F#$K the Police" by NWA on my system? ... :mix:
The following article was in this morning's e-Press.
Thought I would pass it along for your information.
Have a great weekend.
Charlie Cassens
Police Chief Explains
Labor Day Channel Enforcement
LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ - As the big Labor Day weekend commences today, TSN News Director Roger Galloway spoke in depth with Interim Police Chief Dan Doyle concerning enforcement measures, especially in the busy Bridgewater Channel. There is a new tough city ordinance in place that deals directly and strongly with “public intoxication,” “indecent exposure,” and “seriously disruptive, unreasonably loud” behavior. Those arrested could receive a fine up to $2,500 and/or a prison sentence not to exceed six months. It’s been described as an additional “tool” by city officials.
RG: Chief, this new ordinance is now in effect. Correct?
DOYLE: Correct.
RG: Do you foresee an increase in arrests for that ordinance over what you had previously? Is that on the minds on officers - on the front burner - as they make arrests this weekend?
DOYLE: First and foremost, if itÂ’s a violation of state statute thatÂ’s primarily the statute weÂ’ll be using. If youÂ’re being disorderly, if you assault somebody, if youÂ’re committing indecent exposure, weÂ’ll use the state statute. The city ordinance for offensive conduct primarily adds public intoxication. If youÂ’re intoxicated to the point youÂ’re a danger to yourself or to others, or causing problems in the channel, disrupting people around you, then the city ordinance will come into effect.
RG: What about the use of obscene or offensive language? How do you define what is obscene or not? ThatÂ’s always been the big question.
DOYLE: State statute covers that. In effect, nothing will change as far as obscene language. This ordinance has not created anything in reference to being obscene or using obscene language. If you are - basically it comes down to disorderly conduct - if you are talking to somebody and you are using obscene language and somebody overhears you, that’s not something that necessarily gets you arrested. If you’re standing on the back of your boat and screaming obscenities, and it’s disrupting people around you and those people are complaining, that can get you in trouble. But, what it typically is when you are disturbing people around you, you are going to fall into “disorderly conduct.”
RG: Let me ask you this question, along the same lines. There’s a lot of loud music from the boats in the channel. As you know there are many, especially hip-hop songs and certain rap songs that are out that have the “F” word in them extensively, and other things as well that might be considered obscene. Is that a possible subject for arrest?
DOYLE: Once again, if the people around you are complaining to us about your behavior or your music, or something you are doing that is disturbing the people around you, then we will ask for your compliance. We will ask that you either stop playing that specific music or stop doing what you’re doing. And again, it’s not what we as the police feel is disruptive – but the people around you there in the channel. If the boats all around you are complaining and they feel that your music is obscene or disruptive, then we’ll ask you to turn the music off or turn it down to such a level that the people cannot hear it.
RG: I would assume then, what you are saying is, if they refuse to do that they would be arrested for failure to obey an officer's command in essense, right?
DOYLE: Well, no - no. The reality is...those circumstances we try to gain compliance first. If they refuse, then they'd be arrested for disorderly conduct for seriously disruptive behavior.
RG: Moving over to another enforcement area -- the mooring. We know that the signs are up - the ordinance is not in effect yet, but, according to Richard Kaffenberger, the signs are prominent and you will ask the boaters if they're refusing to obey those signs, to move. If they don't leave, then they would be subject to arrest as well, right?
DOYLE: Correct. Our goal is to gain compliance first. Per the current city ordinance that is in affect, the city manager has the authority to restrict mooring in the channel and to post signage. That gives us the authority - gives the city manager the authority - to restrict the mooring to the mooring points. The city council is moving to pass an ordinance to support that. So currently, by direction of the city manager, we will be enforcing the one boat per mooring point on the east bank of the south Bridgewater Channel. Again, as people come in, the same thing we did with London Bridge Beach when that was decided - to not allow alcohol - we will work at education first and try to gain compliance from people prior to issuing any citation at that point. If we can't gain compliance and the person won't comply...at that point we would have to issue them a citation to get them to comply.
RG: Labor Day weekend, compared to Fourth of July, compared to Memorial Day - in the usual scenario over the years, how has Labor Day been compared to those other two big holidays?
DOYLE: Usually, Memorial Day weekend and Labor Day weekend are our two biggest weekends. Labor Day is the last big weekend of the year before the boating season ends. So we do expect quite a few people. However, here recently since Fourth of July, we've been noticing just on our regular holiday weekends our officers have stated that the crowds have been pretty good. They've noticed some improvement down in the channel. So, we're expecting that it should be a good weekend. We have plenty of officers down
there. We've got officers coming in from Bullhead and Kingman P.D. So, we're going to have plenty of resources down there and we're hoping for a good weekend.
Under the circumstances, the chief sounds very reasonable. Hopefully the cops on patrol have this same attitude.
I wounder if they would have a problem with me cranking "F#$K the Police" by NWA on my system? ... :mix:
he does sound reasonable.
Must have been all that prayer before the council meetings. Calmed everyone down. :rollside:
Charlie, Thanks for the article.
Sounds pretty level-headed and straight forward to me. Act like a complete dunken a$$hole and you got to the pokey. Drink and act responsibly, you'll have a good time.
Yes HE does,however you have to wonder about the interpretation of the officer who is actually enforcing the laws. It should definetly be interesting.
Sounds pretty level-headed and straight forward to me. Act like a complete dunken a$$hole and you got to the pokey. Drink and act responsibly, you'll have a good time.
Sounds that way to me. And that is the way it should be.
Sounds pretty level-headed and straight forward to me. Act like a complete dunken a$$hole and you got to the pokey. Drink and act responsibly, you'll have a good time.agree .that rule pretty much applies everywhere BUt i am sure come tuesday people will be here crying that they were treated unfairly.Seems to be a never fail
I heard the Chief on the radio today and his words were "if you're having a conversation with someone and you cuss that is not the intent of the law, If you are say, standing on the bow of a boat and yelling obsenities and bothering people then expect to go to jail" and that sounds good to me. Maybe its time to look at your conduct, if you fit this bill then beware cause jail time and a $2500 fine can be imposed. As stated here already and about a gazzilion times before, act like an asshole and be treated like wise. Peace, NSF
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