(a) When any fire, accident, explosion, parade, public disturbance, public nuisance, scene of a suspected crime, presence of an injured or deceased person, or other occasion, causes or may cause persons to collect on public streets, alleys, sidewalks or other areas of the City, including private places, a police officer may establish, through the erection of barricades, police vehicles, tape or other readily identifiable physical barrier, a line indicating a safety zone or police line as may be necessary for the purpose of affording a clearing for:
(1) Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel or other persons performing operations in accordance with their duties and occupations;
(2) The passage of a parade;
(3) The movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic;
(4) The exclusion of persons from the vicinity of a fire, accident, explosion or other emergency, a public disturbance or a public nuisance;
(5) The protection of persons and property; or
(6) The protection and preservation of evidence at the scene of a suspected crime.
(b) After a safety zone or police line is established, no person shall cross such line, enter such zone or remain in such zone after being requested to leave. However, residents of the zone and other such persons as a police officer may authorize to cross such lines or be within such zone may be permitted to cross such lines, enter such zone or remain in such zone, provided that they do not interfere with police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel or other persons performing operations in accordance with their duties and occupations.
(c) A person present within such a zone shall comply with any lawful order or instruction of a police officer, including an order to leave an established zone. Any person who refuses to comply with a lawful order of a police officer, including an order not to enter an established zone or cross an established line, shall be in violation of this section.
(Ord. 22-95. Passed 7-18-95.)