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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2019-10-16 19-394 ORDINANCETitle, Ordinance 19-394 10/16/2019 CITY COUNCIL ACTION Council Meeting Date: October 16, 2019 Item No: 19-394 Responsible Dept: Legal Action Requested: Ordinance Map/Lot: N/A Amending Chapter 215, Police Regulations, by Instituting a Fee for Service for Non -Emergency Calls to the Police Department Summary This ordinance amendment would allow the Police Department to charge institutions a fee for non -emergency calls that go beyond what is normally and reasonably expected of a police officer. The Police Department has experienced an increase in calls to group homes, residential care facilities, and temporary low -barrier sheltering locations. In some cases, these calls are for non -emergency matters that should be within the institution's capacity to handle. These include asking the police to tell clients to follow house rules, not to use coarse language, and to mediate other non -emergency issues. These types of calls can divert or delay police response to emergency calls. The fee for service is intended to deter excessive or unnecessary use of police resources for non -emergency situations. On October 7, 2019, the Government Operations Committee recommended that a section be added to require the Police Chief meet with the owners to resolve the issues with non -emergency calls. Committee Action Committee: Government Operations Committee Action: Staff Comments & Approvals Meeting Date: October 7, 2019 For: 5 Against: 0 cpja� ry�- Lg ��7m City Manager City Solicitor Finance Director Introduced for: First Reading and Referral CITY COUNCIL ORDINANCE Date: October 16, 2019 Assigned to Councilor: Davitt 19-394 10/16/2019 ORDINANCE, Amending Chapter 215, Police Regulations, by Instituting a Fee for Service for Non -Emergency Calls to the Police Department WHEREAS, institutions are increasingly calling the police for assistance in dealing with non -emergency situations for which Police Department is not needed; WHEREAS, institutions should have the capacity to handle non -emergency situations that are not within the typical scope of police duties; WHEREAS, individuals cannot always be expected to have the same capacity, and the City does not wish to deter them from calling the police; WHEREAS, police resources are limited, and wherever possible need to be saved for police duties and emergency situations; BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BANGOR AS FOLLOWS, THAT Chapter 215, section 215-14 is added to the Code of the City of Bangor as follows: 4 215-14 Fee for service., The Police Department is authorized to levy a fee for services set out in the Schedule of Fees in accordance with Chapter 109 of this Code for calls to institutions for non -emergency services that go beyond those normally and reasonably expected in the course of police duties. Before a fee is assessed, the Police ,Department shall reach out to the institution concerned and attempt to work with them to resolve the issues resulting in calls. Additions are underlined, deletions stFuEk hFeugh. IN CITY COUNCIL OCTOBER 16,2019 COrd 19-394 FIRST READING CI Y CLE OCTOBER 28,2019 Cord 19-394 MOTION MADE AND SECONDED FOR PASSAGE VOTE: 8-0 COUNCILORS VOTING YES: DAVITT, GRAHAM, SPRAGUE, SUPICA,TREMBLE,WESTON,NICHOLS COUNCILORS VOTING NO: NONE PASSED �'6- - -i �'j, . I CLE