(a) No person shall loiter or prowl in any public or private place at a time, in a manner or under circumstances which warrant alarm for the safety of persons or security of property in the surrounding area.
(b) Without limitation, the following circumstances may be considered in determining whether the activities described in division (a) of this section are occurring:
(1) The flight of a person upon the appearance of a police officer;
(2) Attempted concealment by a person upon the appearance of a police officer; or
(3) The systematic checking by a person of doors, windows, or other means of access to buildings, houses or vehicles.
(c) For the purposes of this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them:
(1) LOITERING includes the following activities: lingering, hanging around, delaying, sauntering, and moving slowly about, where such conduct is not due to physical defects or conditions.
(2) PRIVATE PLACE means and includes places privately owned but open to the public generally, such as shopping centers, retail stores, transportation terminals, movie theaters, office buildings, restaurants, and all distinctly private places such as homes or private residences and apartment houses.
(3) PUBLIC PLACE means and includes public streets and alleyways, public restrooms, public sidewalks, public parks, public buildings, and municipal airports.
(4) SURROUNDING AREA means that area easily and immediately accessible to the person under observation.
(d) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 2023-57, passed 10-9-2023)