Posted on 03/29/2008 3:56:19 AM PDT by Stoat
It's expensive to lose your temper in the city of Poulsbo.If the situation comes to blows, that is.
An ordinance defining fighting in public -- including verbal bouts that could incite violence -- as a gross misdemeanor was adopted by the Poulsbo City Council Wednesday night.
A violation of the new rule is punishable by one year in jail and a $5,000 fine.
While putting up dukes in public has always been a crime, Poulsbo Police Department's Sgt. Robert Wright said the ordinance is a tool to allow officers to make an arrest before things get out of hand.
Previously, officers had to wait until fisticuffs were under way.
The ordinance was first written for the city of Port Orchard, and Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge said Jeff Jahns, the district and municipal court division chief, worked hard to make the provision constitutional. He said detailing specifics was important to avoid hitting free speech blockades.
The ordinance defines "fight" as:
• "a verbal altercation which tends to incite an immediate breach of the peace; and/or
• a breach of the peace whether or not it is preceded by a verbal altercation."
Orbusmax ™ Northwest News - 'Around The World In 80K'
Free speech violation.
They must all be high out there...or morons.
From the article:
The ordinance was first written for the city of Port Orchard, and Kitsap County Prosecutor Russ Hauge said Jeff Jahns, the district and municipal court division chief, worked hard to make the provision constitutional. He said detailing specifics was important to avoid hitting free speech blockades.
I think it's quite telling that he considers Constitutional assurances of free speech as being 'blockades'.
I would expect this law to be instantly overturned in court, but it's a sad commentary that so much time was expended upon this:
Jeff Jahns, the district and municipal court division chief, worked hard to make the provision constitutional.
Too bad he didn't spend his time 'working hard' on something that's not quite so Orwellian....
That part of Washington State is not exactly known as being a Conservative stronghold...quite the contrary. So, both parts of your post may indeed be true.
I think that's a somewhat narrow point of view. I believe they could easily be both.
Sorry, I don't mean to be picky, but I wouldn't want the blame for this to be unjustly cast on our friends to the South. Unfortunately, Poulsbo is in my own Washington State....another reason to be embarrassed of the place that I live.
"sigh"
reminds me of the Tom Cruise movie about future crime.
A good comparison, and a reflection of how feminized so many have become....a raised voice that upsets some ninny liberal's disposition is no punishable by a hefty fine and jail time.
"is now punishable", rather. Sorry, this story ticked me off so much I can't even type as poorly as I usually do :-)
While putting up dukes in public has always been a crime, Poulsbo Police Department’s Sgt. Robert Wright said the ordinance is a tool to allow officers to make an arrest before things get out of hand.
Previously, officers had to wait until fisticuffs were under way.
DUH......
Disorderly Conduct
Harrasment
Loitering
etc etc..........
Sgt. Wright Your mother wears army boots!
If memory serves, Poulsbo has a decently long history of brawling, dating back to its logging-camp and fishing days. Loggers vs. fishermen vs. steamboaters, Norwegians vs. Finns vs. Swedes, and later shipbuilders vs. all of the above — a good fight was just about the main entertainment for a Saturday night. There are still some occasions and venues that almost require such. In these more modern times, though, the police doubtless need a mechanism to minimize the damage and reduce the risk that someone will “scare the horses.”
It does seem that there are already legal tools at their disposal, doesn’t it?
I believe that most other cities around the world (all that I can think of, actually) have been able to deal with this sort of thing without making ‘raising one’s voice in anger’ a CRIME which can be punished by a substantial fine and substantial jail time.
This is quite chilling that it’s made it onto the law books....hopefully it will be slapped down by the courts very quickly.
They are all “Girly men”. Probably either all women or the men are being run by their wives.
And his boots are probably bright pink. :-)
Fifty years ago I would say yes, Poulsbo was a much rougher place. Today, it’s an upscale and expensive liberal yuppie community.
They probably do have more than their share of effeminate Richard Simmons fans there.....
Thought crimes.
Why wait for the argument to start?
Just go to people’s houses and arrest them before they get out of bed.
"Mr. Johnson, we heard from your employer that you had a difficult day at work today, and you have been judged as being at risk of becoming angry and raising your voice. Please come quietly with us now."
Actually Kitsap county is more likely to vote R than any other in Western Washington. Poulsbo is populated in large part by active duty Navy and civilian support for Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Submarine Base Bangor.
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