(a) Authorized; Prohibited Acts; Compliance with Orders of Police.
(1) When any fire, accident, explosion, parade, calamity, public disturbance, riot, rally, demonstration, natural disaster, crime scene or other occasion or event causes or may cause persons to collect on the public streets, sidewalks, or other areas of the City, the Chief of Police or officer acting for him or her may establish a safety zone or police line as may be necessary for the purpose of affording a clearing for:
A. The protection of persons and property;
B. Police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and other personnel performing operations in accordance with their duties;
C. The exclusion of the public from the vicinity of a fire, accident, explosion, calamity, crime scene, other emergency or public disturbances or public nuisance or riot;
D. The passage of a parade;
E. The movement of traffic.
(2) Any person who shall knowingly cross such line, knowingly enter into any such zone, or remain in any such zone after being requested to leave, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Provided, that bona fide and properly identified representatives of the press and media, residents, medical or clerical persons intending to minister to residents of the zone, and such other persons as the Chief of Police or officer acting for him or her may be permitted to cross such lines or enter into such zone, and may remain in such zone so long as they will not and do not interfere with emergency personnel performing their duties.
(3) Every person present within such zone shall comply with any lawful order or instruction of any police officer and any person who refuses to comply with the necessary order of a police officer shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree.
(b) Authority of Chief of Police.
(1) When the Chief of Police or officer acting for him or her finds there is a clear and present danger of riot or of such other events as enumerated in subsection (a)(1) hereof, the Police Chief may establish a safety zone and/or a police line for the minimum time necessary to suppress and/or prevent the riot, or other event as set forth in subsection (a)(1) hereof and such safety or police zone shall encompass the minimum area as is necessary to protect persons and property, afford a clearing for police officers, firefighters and other emergency personnel, and to exclude the public from the vicinity of such riot, or such other event as enumerated in subsection (a)(1) hereof.
(2) Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the Police Chief or officer acting for him or her to act as set forth in subsection (a) hereof.
(Ord. 2006-6-70. Passed 6-14-06; Ord. 2022-9-89. Passed 9-28-22.)