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Council asks police to issue citations for unpermitted solicitors when residents request it
Summary
After residents reported recurring unpermitted door‑to‑door solicitors, the police chief said soliciting is lawful with a permit and proposed an internal policy to allow citations when a homeowner requests enforcement; council agreed that the chief should adopt that approach rather than changing the ordinance immediately.
At the mayor’s request the council discussed enforcement of the city’s solicitors ordinance after residents reported repeat door‑to‑door solicitation without permits.
Dr. Ives said he’d observed several unpermitted solicitors in his neighborhood and that police had responded but typically “ran them off” without issuing citations. Chief White told the council that soliciting is not illegal per se but is unlawful without a permit.
The chief proposed an internal enforcement approach: if a homeowner requests a citation, officers would issue one rather than relying purely on officer discretion. “We could look at other processes where if the homeowner requests the ticket, that one is issued at that point,” Chief White said. The chief also warned against removing all prosecutorial discretion from officers because of practical considerations.
Council agreed with the chief’s suggested operational approach and asked him to implement internal guidance so that residents who request enforcement can trigger a citation; no ordinance change was directed.
Why it matters: Residents, especially older ones, said door‑to‑door solicitors without permits create safety and nuisance concerns. The council’s approach aims to balance consistent enforcement with on‑the‑ground judgement by officers.
