Finally!
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Littering, public urination, and leaving an inoperable vehicle on public property are among six ordinances that are no longer criminal offenses in Kalamazoo.
The Kalamazoo City Commission unanimously passed amendments to over two dozen sections of the city's code of ordinances at a city commission meeting Monday evening.
Six violations that used to be misdemeanor charges are now punishable by a civil fine, rather than jail time.
"We are eliminating certain offenses that are never or hardly ever enforced, like spitting on the sidewalk. There are other offenses that are being removed that no longer are considered a crime under either state law or state jurisprudence such as fortune telling," City Attorney Robinson clarified in the meeting.
The new ordinances are not legitimizing the violations, but decriminalizing them.
"They are still a violation of our ordinances it just no longer carries a criminal sentence," said City Attorney Clyde Robinson.
Some people expressed concerns and opposed the changes.
"One thing a lot of people don't realize is a misdemeanor is for life as much as a felony. So many things come with a permanent record on somebody's record," Commissioner Chris Praedel said in response.
Arresting and housing the individuals for these violations uses many Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety resources, according to Anderson.
City Mayor David Anderson hopes decriminalizing the ordinances will allow them to address the issues in an immediate fashion.
"It will allow our public safety officers perhaps to engage, have that opportunity, work with our partnership organizations, including ISK [Integrated Services of Kalamazoo] in town, to address those very, very challenging issues and have more time rather than spending a third of their shift getting somebody transported for a booking [for jail] that's not going to happen," Anderson said.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Littering, public urination, and leaving an inoperable vehicle on public property are among six ordinances that are no longer criminal offenses in Kalamazoo.
The Kalamazoo City Commission unanimously passed amendments to over two dozen sections of the city's code of ordinances at a city commission meeting Monday evening.
Six violations that used to be misdemeanor charges are now punishable by a civil fine, rather than jail time.
"We are eliminating certain offenses that are never or hardly ever enforced, like spitting on the sidewalk. There are other offenses that are being removed that no longer are considered a crime under either state law or state jurisprudence such as fortune telling," City Attorney Robinson clarified in the meeting.
The new ordinances are not legitimizing the violations, but decriminalizing them.
"They are still a violation of our ordinances it just no longer carries a criminal sentence," said City Attorney Clyde Robinson.
Some people expressed concerns and opposed the changes.
"One thing a lot of people don't realize is a misdemeanor is for life as much as a felony. So many things come with a permanent record on somebody's record," Commissioner Chris Praedel said in response.
Arresting and housing the individuals for these violations uses many Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety resources, according to Anderson.
City Mayor David Anderson hopes decriminalizing the ordinances will allow them to address the issues in an immediate fashion.
"It will allow our public safety officers perhaps to engage, have that opportunity, work with our partnership organizations, including ISK [Integrated Services of Kalamazoo] in town, to address those very, very challenging issues and have more time rather than spending a third of their shift getting somebody transported for a booking [for jail] that's not going to happen," Anderson said.