Chatham-Kent police say they're off to a good start after municipal council passed most of their requested nuisance bylaw.
Before approving the list of offenses, Chatham-Kent Council did remove allowances for officers to enter any land to enforce or investigate the bylaw. Council also won't allow officers to close public highways that are near a nuisance party.
Still, Chief Gary Conn says for the most part, they're pleased. "This is certainly a step in the right direction. What they have passed is certainly better than what's in place right now."
What police had previously were bylaws that allowed them to enforce public disturbances. But if offenders tried to fight the ticket in court, police had to find a complainant willing to testify against the suspect. Now, Conn says the officer can serve as that complainant.
Police also wanted to have any person at a nuisance party required to give their name and address to officers, but council scrapped that idea too.