Troy police chief asks city for under-the-influence ordinance

Troy Police Chief Katie Davis at the Aug. 9 Troy City Council meeting asked the council to consider a new ordinance to address people under the influence in public.

“Right now we (the police department) don’t have much power to do anything with a pedestrian under the influence until they reach the disorderly stage, at which point they are not a ton of fun to deal with,” she told the council. “This ordinance, if it came into being, would be for the safety of those under the influence, and others around them.”

Mayor Darren Coldwell wanted to confirm that Davis was not talking about an open container ordinance, which would potentially affect “your average guy with a six pack by the boat launch.”

A discussion followed about having an open container ordinance, which Coldwell said was “a law we don’t need.”

Davis told the council she was not asking for an open container ordinance. She also made it clear that the potential ordinance would cover not just alcohol use, but drug use as well.

The ordinance would not give police the power to arrest those under the influence, but only to write them a citation, Davis said.

Troy has had similar ordinances in the past, City Clerk Tracey Rebo said, but all have been “codified” — written out by other ordinances.

“The ordinance would be a foot forward for our community to say ‘We don’t want this (drug and alcohol use) here,” Davis said in closing.

The City Council will discuss Davis’ proposition and address it further at next month’s meeting.