(a) No person shall do any of the following:
(1) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to cause public inconvenience or alarm;
(2) Knowingly cause a false alarm of fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within any organization, public or private, for dealing with emergencies involving a risk of physical harm to persons or property;
(3) Report to any law enforcement agency an alleged offense or other incident within its concern, knowing that such offense did not occur.
(4) Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to impede the operation of a critical infrastructure facility.
(b) This section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill.
(c) Whoever violates this section is guilty of making false alarms, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If a violation of this section results in economic harm of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, or if a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened, or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction, making false alarms is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.
(d) Any act that is a violation of this section and any other section of the Codified Ordinances may be prosecuted under this section, the other section, or both sections.
(e) As used in this section:
(1) “Critical infrastructure facility” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2911.21.
(ORC 2917.32)
(a) Whenever, in his judgment, the Mayor determines that an emergency exists as a result of any natural disaster or man-made calamity, or clear and present danger thereof, or riot, insurrection, mob action or other civil disturbance causing danger of injury to or damages to persons or property, he shall have power to impose by proclamation any or all of the following regulations necessary to restore the peace and order of the Village.
(1) Prohibit or limit the number of persons who may gather or congregate upon the public highways or public sidewalks or any outdoor place, or in any theater, restaurant, place of public assembly or commercial establishment to which the public has access;
(2) Restrict or prohibit movement within, above or beneath the area or areas which, in his judgment, are imperiled by the public danger or emergency;
(3) Establish a curfew during such hours of the day or night as he deems advisable and prohibit persons from being out of doors during such curfew;
(4) Prohibit or restrict the retail sale, distribution or giving away of gasoline or other liquid, flammable or combustible products in any container other than the gasoline tank properly affixed to a motor vehicle;
(5) Order the closing of gasoline stations and other establishments engaged in the retail sale, distribution or dispensing or giving away of liquid, flammable or combustible products;
(6) Prohibit or restrict the sale, distribution, dispensing or giving away of any firearms or ammunition of any character whatsoever;
(7) Order the closing of any and all establishments or portions thereof engaged in the sale, distribution, dispensing or giving away of firearms and/or ammunition;
(8) Prohibit or restrict the carrying or possession on the public streets or public sidewalks or in any public park or square or any other public place a weapon or any object intended to be used as a weapon, including, but not limited to, firearms, bows and arrows, air rifles, sling shots, knives, razors, broken bottles, fire bombs, missiles of any kind, clubs, blackjacks, or billy clubs.
(9) Prohibit or restrict the retail sale, distribution, dispensing or giving away of acids, caustics or any chemicals or other substances capable of being used singly or in combination to cause injury or damage to persons or property;
(10) Call upon regular and auxiliary law enforcement agencies and organizations within or without the City to assist in preserving and keeping the peace within the City;
(11) Prohibit the sale of beer, wine, intoxicating liquor.
(Ord. 401. Passed 1-2-75.)
(12) Order the evacuation of all human beings from a portion of or the entire Village of West Unity, Ohio, and/or the vacation of certain or all residences or other property used for residence purposes until said emergency is terminated as hereinafter provided.
(Ord. 445. Passed 4-6-78.)
(b) When the Mayor determines that an emergency exists, as set forth in subsection (a) hereof, he shall forthwith proclaim in writing the existence of the same and the time of its inception, and shall issue a proclamation thereof to the public, through the news media and such other means of dissemination as he deems advisable.
(c) Any emergency proclaimed in accordance with the provisions of this section shall terminate after seventy-two hours of the issuance thereof or upon the issuance of a proclamation determining an emergency no longer exists, whichever occurs first. However, such emergency may be extended for such additional periods of time as determined necessary by the Mayor.
(d) The powers conferred by this section are in addition to any other power which may be conferred by Federal law or State statute or Village Ordinance, and nothing in this section shall be construed to modify or limit such authority, powers, duties and responsibilities of any officer or public official as may be provided by law. Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit suspension of the privilege to a writ of habeas corpus.
(e) No person shall fail to obey the lawful order of any police officer, militiaman, fireman, member of the National Guard or other authorized person acting under orders or authority issued under the provisions of this section.
(f) Whoever violates any prohibition contained in, or knowingly fails to perform any duty required by a proclamation, order or regulation issued and in effect pursuant to this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.
(Ord. 401. Passed 1-2-75.)
(a) Definition
.
(1) “Loitering” means remaining idle in essentially one location and shall include the colloquial expression “hanging around”.
(b) Certain Types of Loitering Prohibited
.
No person shall loiter on or about the public streets or sidewalks of the Village and do any of the following:
(1) Breach the peace; or create a disturbance or unreasonable annoyance to other persons using the streets or sidewalks or to any other person;
(2) Obstruct the free passage of pedestrians or vehicles;
(3) Obstruct, molest, or physically interfere with any person;
(4) Engage in conduct which creates an unreasonable risk of physical harm, including making remarks of an offensive, disgusting, or insulting nature to another person.
(c) Order and Refusal to Leave
.
When any police officer has reasonable grounds to believe that any person loitering on any street or sidewalk is likely to cause any of the conditions enumerated in subsection (b) hereof the police officer may order that person to leave that place in order to preserve the public peace and safety.
(d) Penalty
.
Any person who violates subsection (b) hereof shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Any person who refuses to leave the sidewalk or street after being ordered to do so by a police officer under subsection (c) shall be guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(Ord. 1982-3. Passed 7-19-82.)