(A) Whenever, in the sound judgment of the Mayor, or in the event of his or her inability to act, of the President of the Council, it is determined that an emergency exists as a result of mob action or other civil disobedience or as a result of a natural disaster, causing danger of injury to or damages to persons or property, the Mayor, or in the event of his or her inability to act, the President of the Council, shall have the power to impose, by proclamation, any or all of the following regulations, when the regulations are reasonably necessary to preserve the peace and order of the city:
(1) To impose a curfew upon all or any portion of the city thereby requiring all persons, in the designated curfew areas to remove themselves from the public streets, alleys, parks or other public places; provided, physicians, nurses and ambulance operators performing medical services, utility personnel maintaining essential public services, firefighters and city authorized or requested law enforcement officers and personnel may be exempted from the curfew;
(2) To order the closing of any business establishments any where within the city for the period of the emergency, the businesses to include, but not be limited to, those selling intoxicating liquors, cereal malt beverages, gasoline or firearms;
(3) To designate any public street, thoroughfare or vehicle parking areas closed to motor vehicles and pedestrian traffic; and
(4) To call upon regular and auxiliary law enforcement agencies and organizations within or without the city to assist in preserving and keeping the peace within the city. The proclamation of emergency shall become effective upon its issuance and dissemination to the public by appropriate news media, and if not available, then by posting in five of the most public places within the corporate limits of the city, including the City Hall, Post Office and Courthouse. The proclamation shall be delivered to the city police, who shall use their public address systems throughout the city and immediately notify the public of the proclamation and curfew and warn the public that any violation of the curfew shall be deemed an offense and violators shall be arrested. Any emergency proclaimed in accordance with the provisions of this section shall terminate after 48 hours from the issuance thereof, or upon the issuance of a proclamation determining an emergency no longer exists, whichever occurs first; provided, the emergency may be extended for the additional periods of time as shall be determined to be necessary by resolution of the City Council.
(B) It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully fail, neglect or refuse to comply with any emergency proclamation issued pursuant to this section or to willfully fail, neglect or refuse to comply with the orders of any duly authorized law enforcement officers or personnel charged with the responsibility of enforcing the proclamation.
(Prior Code, § 6-352)
Penalty, see § 10.99