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Rolla Council adopts ordinance banning public urination and defecation; police outline enforcement limits
Summary
The City of Rolla approved a new ordinance making public urination and defecation a municipal offense. Police officials said the law is aimed at adult public behavior, will rely on citations rather than sex-offender charges, and can be enforced using witness accounts or video evidence such as Ring cameras.
The Rolla City Council on Thursday approved an ordinance adding Section 30-49 to the city code to prohibit public urination and defecation.
The measure, introduced by the police department, is targeted at adults who relieve themselves in public places, particularly near businesses and buildings, council members were told. Police officials said the change is intended to give officers a municipal citation option short of charging indecent exposure, which can trigger lifetime sex-offender registration.
Police Chief (Police Chief) told the council the city “does not have an ordinance against this violation” and that “this is for adults who ... come out of a bar down on Pine Street and decide to go ahead and relieve themselves against the building.” He said officers would generally issue tickets and let the court determine fines, not arrest and hold people in custody for the offense.
The chief said indecent-exposure charges frequently require lifetime offender registration and that courts often do not sustain indecent-exposure cases for conduct described in the ordinance. “If somebody is urinating up against the building, … yes, that could be classified as indecent exposure, but I’m not gonna have a sex-offender registration to follow somebody for the rest of their lives because they did that,” he said.
On enforcement, the chief said the city would accept eyewitness reports and video evidence. “Ring camera, somebody taping it on their telephone and sending it to us … we will make a copy of the tape and then we can issue the ticket against them for that as long as we have them identified,” he said. Repeat offenders, he added, could face stiffer penalties at the judge’s discretion, including short jail sentences in some cases.
Council members asked for clarification about the role of the courts and fines; the chief said the ordinance establishes the offense and that courts would set specific fines and potential sentences. The council also heard that officers could only issue the new municipal citation if the conduct is observed or reliably documented; without the new ordinance the department would need to pursue indecent-exposure charges or rely on a witness willing to go to court.
The ordinance was given a final reading and adopted by roll-call vote.
Supporters and staff stressed the city intends to use “common sense” in enforcement and not pursue charges against children or situations lacking evidence. The ordinance text amends chapter 30 of the city ordinances to add the new offense and penalties as municipal fines.
Council members did not propose amendments at the final reading; the measure passed and will be codified as Section 30-49.
The council moved on to other agenda items after the vote.
