PROPOSED ORD. (TRESPASS/LIQ. RELATED)
CITY OF HOPKINS
1010 FIRST STREET SOUTH · HOPKINS, MINNESOTA 55343 · 612/935-8474
March 16, 1984
TO: William Craig, City Manager
FROM: Earl Johnson, Chief of Police
SUBJECT: Proposed ordinances
The Police Department has requested that the City Attorney's Office
draft the proposed Trespass and Liquor-related Ordinance attached.
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The City of Hopkins has not had a specific ordinance that addresses
the trespass issue. This type of violation is most closely
associated with the continuing mall problem.
In past years, officers would charge those individuals who were
trespassing on private property with the only available
alternative, which was loitering. - Unfortunately, most judges felt
that the charge of loitering was inappropriate and was perhaps too
vague to be sustained. An additional problem was the requirement
of a verbal warning to vacate prior to the officer taking
enforcement action. This resulted in a "game", whereby the
violators would simply move to the next parking lot to continue
their inappropriate behavior. This resulted in a tremendous waste
of manpower and generated much frustration with line personnel.
The proposed trespass ordinance has been utilized in Minneapolis
with some degree of success. An important component of this
proposed ordinance is the section that empowers a posted sign to
serve as the initial warning. This will allow the officer to take
immediate enforcement action.
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It is readily apparent that for this ordinance to be effective,
proper signing of the specific properties must be accomplished.
The ordinance pertaining to the display or consumption of alcoholic
beverages in a public place, contains the necessary language to
enable the officer to take enforcement action for any and all types
of alcoholic beverages.
The Police Department supports both of these ordinances and feels
that they will provide additional tools to accomplish our
objectives.