Klamath Falls City Council Passes New Ordinance to Curb Persistent Criminal Behavior
On February 6, 2019, a geographical area around downtown will become an, “Enhanced Law Enforcement Area” as defined by council. People convicted of three (3) separate violations of law within a twelve (12) month period within the Downtown Enhanced Law Enforcement Area (ELEA) will be excluded from the zone for a period of 90 – 365 days by the Klamath Falls Municipal Judge.
Persons who re-enter the ELEA, without a lawful purpose, will be arrested for the crime of, “Persistent Violation.” Per City Code, the crime of Persistent Violation is a mandatory arrest and chronic criminal offenders will be transported to jail before their appearance in front of the Klamath Falls Municipal Judge.
The purpose of these enactments is to pursue chronic offenders in certain, designated areas, in an effort to modify their behavior and, through exclusion of the chronic offender, improve and enhance community livability.
