City police officers shall adhere to the following with regard to police escorts.
(A) Required. No person shall participate in or form any civic event/parade unless a permit has been obtained from the Chief of Police. For general purposes of this section, a CIVIL EVENT or PARADE is defined as any organized gathering of persons or an event upon the streets or public passageways in the city.
(B) Exceptions. This section shall not apply to:
(1) Funeral processions;
(2) Students going to and from school classes or participating in educational activities, provided that the conduct is under the immediate direction and supervision of the proper school authorities; or
(3) A governmental agency acting within the scope of its functions.
(C) Application process. A person seeking a civic event/parade permit shall file application with the chief of police on the forms provided by the city.
(1) Filing period. An application for a civic event/parade permit shall be filed with the Chief of Police not less than 30, nor more than 45 days before the date on which it is proposed to conduct the civic event/parade.
(2) Contents. The application for a civic event/parade permit shall set forth the following information:
(a) Name, address and telephone number of the person seeking to conduct the civic event/parade;
(b) If a civic event/parade is proposed to be conducted for or on behalf of or by an organization, the name, address and telephone number and headquarters of the organization and of the authorized responsible heads of the organization;
(c) Name, address and telephone number of the person who will be the civic event/parade chair and who will be responsible for its conduct;
(d) Date when the civic event/parade is to be conducted;
(e) Route to be traveled. The starting point and termination point;
(f) The approximate number of persons who and animals and vehicles which will constitute such civic event/parade and the type of animals and description of vehicles;
(g) Hours the parade will start and terminate;
(h) Statement as to whether the parade will occupy all or only a portion of the width of the streets proposed to be traversed;
(i) Location by streets of any assembly areas for the civic event/parade;
(j) Time at which the units of the parade will begin to assemble and any like assembly area;
(k) The interval of space to be maintained between the units in the civic event/parade;
(l) If the civic event/parade is designed to be held by, and on behalf of, or for any person other than the applicant, the applicant for the permit shall file with the Chief of Police a communication in writing from the person proposing to hold the civic event/parade, authorizing the applicant to apply for the permit as an agent; and
(m) Any additional information which the Chief of Police finds reasonable and necessary for a fair determination of whether a permit should be issued.
(3) Late application. The Chief of Police, where good cause is shown, may consider an application which is filed less than 30 days before the date of the civic event/parade.
(4) Fee. No permit fee shall be required.
(D) Standards for issuance. In determining whether to issue a permit, the Chief of Police shall consider the following factors based on the representations in the application and any other information relevant to the conduct of the civic event/parade:
(1) Traffic congestion. The conduct of the civic event/parade will not substantially interrupt the safe and orderly movement of other traffic contiguous to its route.
(2) Police resources. The conduct of the civic event/parade will not require the diversion of so great a number of police officers of the city to properly protect the line of movement in the areas contiguous thereto as to prevent normal police protection to the city.
(3) Emergency medical services. The conduct of the parade will not require the diversion of so great a number of ambulances as to prevent normal ambulance service to portions of the city other than that to be occupied by the proposed line of the march and contiguous areas.
(4) Police and fire protection generally. The concentration of persons, animals and vehicles at assembly points of the parade will not unduly interfere with the proper fire and police protection of areas contiguous to the assembly areas.
(5) Firefighting. The conduct of the parade will not interfere with the movement of firefighting equipment en route to a fire.
(6) Time and location. The time and location of the parade and the manner of its conduct is not of the type likely to disturb the reasonable and orderly repose of the citizens of the city nor to unreasonably create a disturbance.
(7) Delay in route. The parade is scheduled to move from its point of origin to its point of termination as expeditiously and without unreasonable delays in route.
(8) Conditions. The Chief of Police shall approve a parade permit, subject to conditions which will satisfy any of the above listed concerns, unless rejected pursuant to the provisions of this section.
(E) Rejection of application.
(1) The Chief of Police shall act upon the application for a parade permit within three days after its filing. If the Chief of Police disapproves of the application, a notice of the action stating the reasons for the denial of the permit shall be mailed to the applicant within five days after the date upon which the application was filed.
(2) Any person aggrieved by the Chief of Police's rejection of a permit may appeal the denial to the City Council. The appeal shall be taken at the next regular meeting of the City Council, and the City Council shall give the applicant an opportunity to be heard and the Police Chief an opportunity to state the rationale for the denial.
(F) Issuance.
(1) Copies to city officials. Immediately upon the issuance of a parade permit, the Chief of Police shall send a copy to the Mayor, Fire Chief, Director of County Rescue Squad and the general manager or responsible head of any transportation utility which may be affected by the route of the proposed parade.
(2) Contents. Each parade permit shall state the following:
(a) Starting time;
(b) Minimum speed;
(c) Maximum speed;
(d) Minimum interval of space to be maintained between the units in the parade;
(e) Portions of the street to be traversed that may be occupied by the parade;
(f) Maximum length of the parade and miles or fractions thereof; and
(g) Other information as the Chief of Police shall find necessary to the enforcement of this section, including any conditions imposed on the permit.
(3) Duties of permittee. Permittees under this section shall comply with all permit directions and conditions and all applicable laws and ordinances.
(4) Possession. The parade chair or other person heading or leading the activities shall carry the parade permit upon his or her person during the conduct of the parade.
(G) Permit and internal policy. The Chief of Police is directed to adopt and implement a permit and internal policy for police escorts which are encompassed by this section.
(Ord. 10-2, passed 2-1-2010) Penalty, see § 10.99