Whenever riots, general civil disobedience, multiple law violations or the threat of the same occur in the city, the director, or in the event of his or her inability to act, the chief of police may determine that a local emergency disaster exists at such time, the director shall forthwith proclaim in writing the existence of a state of local emergency. He/she shall cause widespread publicity and notice to be given to such proclamation. (Ord. 173 § 2, 1997)