8-4-140 Injuring or obstructing signal systems.

   No person, unless duly authorized, shall open any signal box, unless it be to give an alarm of fire or to communicate with the police on necessary business, nor break, cut, injure, deface, derange, or in any manner meddle or interfere with any signal box or the fire-alarm or police telegraph wires, or with any municipal electric wires, poles, conduits, or apparatus. Any person violating any of the foregoing provisions of this section shall be fined not less than $25.00 nor more than $50.00 for each offense.

   Any person who shall scratch, stencil, or post placards or bills on any of the poles used for wires of the police and fire alarm telegraph, or in any other manner deface or injure the same, shall be fined not less than $5.00 nor more than $20.00 for each offense.

(Prior code § 193-6)

8-4-145 False alarms.

   Whoever, without reasonable cause, does any one or more of the following:

      (i)   by outcry or otherwise, makes or circulates, or causes to be made or circulated, any false alarm of fire; or

      (ii)   calls the number "911" for the purpose of making or transmitting a false alarm or complaint and reporting information when, at the time the call or transmission is made, the person knows that the call or transmission could result in the emergency response of any city department or agency; or

      (iii)   calls the number "911" three or more times in a 30-day period without communicating or attempting to communicate information concerning an actual or perceived emergency; or

      (iv)   calls the number "911" for the primary purpose of using threatening, vulgar, indecent or obscene language over the telephone

   shall be fined not less than $500.00 nor more than $1,000.00 for each offense. In the event that a minor violates this section, the parent or guardian having legal custody or control of the minor shall be liable for the violation.

(Prior code § 193-7; Amend Coun. J. 12-15-04, p. 40218, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 4-6-05, p. 45973, § 1)

8-4-147 Unlawful threatening objects.

   (a)   It shall be unlawful for any person to leave unattended on the public way or in a public place, or on private property except by consent of the property owner, anywhere within the city, any object that appears to be a bomb or an improvised explosive device or otherwise pose an apparently immediate threat to public safety, for example, objects that are ticking or contain suspicious-looking electronics or wires.

   (b)   It shall be unlawful for a person or business (1) to knowingly allow their goods, services or activities to be promoted by the conduct referred to in subsection (a), or (2) to initiate or direct the conduct referred to in subsection (a).

   (c)   Any person who has engaged in conduct that potentially constitutes a violation of either of subsections (a) or (b) and who becomes aware, or reasonably should be aware based on media coverage, that public resources are being expended on addressing a public scare related to such conduct, is required to immediately notify the city by calling 911. Failure to do so is a separate violation of this ordinance.

   (d)   Any person violating any provision of this section shall be fined not less than $500.00 nor more than $1.000.00 for each offense.

(Added Coun. J. 3-14-07, p. 99877, § 1)

8-4-148 Sale or possession of body armor.

   (a)   As used in this section:

      (1)   "Body Armor" means any one of the following:

         (i)   A military style flak or tactical assault vest which is made of Kevlar or any other similar material or metal, fiberglass, plastic, or nylon plates and designed to be worn over one's clothing for the intended purpose of stopping not only missile fragmentation from mines, grenades, mortar shells and artillery fire but also fire from rifles, machine guns, and small arms.

         (ii)   Soft body armor which is made of Kevlar or any other similar material or metal or any other type of insert and which is lightweight and pliable and which can be easily concealed under a shirt.

         (iii)   A military style recon/surveillance vest which is made of Kevlar or any other similar material and which is lightweight and designed to be worn over one's clothing.

         (iv)   Protective casual clothing which is made of Kevlar or any other similar material and which was originally intended to be used by undercover law enforcement officers or dignitaries and is designed to look like jackets, coats, raincoats, quilted or three piece suit vests.

         (v)   Body armor does not include non-ballistic protective clothing or protective gear lined with Kevlar that are manufactured, advertised, and sold as motorcycle protective clothing.

      (2)   "Emergency Responder" means any police officer, firefighter, paramedic, or emergency medical technician employed by, or performing their official duties within, the City of Chicago.

      (3)   "News Media" means any newspaper or other periodical issued at regular intervals whether in print or electronic format and having a general circulation; a news service whether in print of electronic format*; a radio station; a television station; a television network; a community antenna television service; and any person or corporation engaged in making news reels or other motion picture news for public showing.

* Editor’s note – So in original; should likely read "whether in print or electronic format".

   (b)   No person shall sell, offer for sale, possess, or purchase body armor.

   (c)   The provisions of this section shall not apply to sales to, or purchase or possession by:

      (1)   active or retired peace officers;

      (2)   retired police officers;

      (3)   members of the United States armed forces, emergency responders, or licensed security officers;

      (4)   employees of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, federal government, or other unit of local government when such employees are on duty and acting in their official capacities;

      (5)   employees of the news media when such employees are on duty and acting in their official capacities;

      (6)   persons authorized and permitted to acquire body armor for use solely as props for a motion picture, television, or video production entertainment.

   (d)   Any person who violates this section shall be subject to a fine of not less than $500.00 and not more than $1,000.00.

   (e)   Violations of this section by a licensee shall be grounds for revocation or suspension of such license. For purposes of this section, "license" includes any and all licenses issued by any officer, department or agency of the City of Chicago required for retail or other business operations at the location at which the offense occurred, and includes but is not limited to retail licenses. For purposes of this section, each sold item equals one violation.

   (f)   Severability. If any section, subsection, paragraph, or part of this ordinance is for any reason held to be unconstitutional or invalid by any final court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity or effectiveness of the remaining portions of this ordinance.

(Added Coun. J. 3-28-18, p. 73481, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 4-18-18, p. 75059, § 2)

8-4-150 Use of sirens for air raid alarms only.

   For the duration of any war in which the United States is engaged no person, including without limiting the generality of the word "person" all persons upon an authorized emergency vehicle, shall sound a siren for any purpose. For the purposes of this section, the term "siren" shall not include a foghorn when used for the protection of navigation in and about the Chicago Harbor.

   This section shall not apply to any person officially designated by the mayor to sound a siren as an air raid alarm.

   Any person violating the provisions of this section shall be fined not less than $100.00 nor more than $200.00 for each offense.

(Prior code § 193-6.1)

8-4-160 Reserved.

Editor's note – Coun. J. 3-31-04, p. 20916, § 1.1, repealed § 8-4-160, which pertained to bonfires.