KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo city commissioners are expected to approve an ordinance amendment that will make it easier for public safety officers to impound cars that take the X-Train.
The city has been looking for a solution to put the brakes on the annoying and dangerous roving parties that have marred many summer weekends on Kalamazoo’s north side.
Public Safety Chief Dave Boysen says they have tried responding in force with minimal success, because they will always be outnumbered.
Last year they started to impound cars both during and after events, allowing officers to go to a repeat violator’s home or place of work and seize cars. The ordinance change gives them the authority to impound cars without always needing a court order.
“So if it drove by one of our license plate readers, that would trigger the alert that would allow an officer to go stop that car and impound it on the street.”
Commissioner Chris Preadel and Vice Mayor Jeanne Hess say they support it.
Boysen says they would continue to impound cars during the event as well and go to court if necessary to get search warrants to go on private property, just as they would for any nuisance vehicle.
It’s scheduled for a final vote on this evening’s city commission agenda.
An interesting aspect of the story is that by running license plates, Kalamazoo Public Safety has been able to determine that most participants in the “Mobile Nuisance Parties” are not from Kalamazoo.
Only about a third are.
They have found that partiers from as far away as Traverse City have attended.
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