Chapter 9.04
OFFENSES BY OR AGAINST PUBLIC OFFICERS AND GOVERNMENT
Sections:
9.04.030 Interception of official radio communications.
9.04.040 Harassing, threatening, and annoying contacts to City.
9.04.010 False reports.
No person shall inform or report to a Peace Officer that a crime has been committed, whether a felony or a misdemeanor, unless he, in good faith, believes that the crime has been committed. (Ord. 10 § 16, 1962)
9.04.020 False impersonation.
No person shall falsely impersonate or cause or permit to be falsely impersonated the Sheriff, District Attorney or City Prosecutor, or member of the State Highway Patrol, or a deputy or representative of, or connected with either. No person shall wear the uniform of the Sheriff, State Highway Patrol, or deputies thereof, or any part of such uniform or any uniform, part of which is similar to the uniform of the Sheriff or State Highway Patrol or deputies thereof, unless the person is a member of such organization. (Ord. 10 § 17, 1962)
9.04.030 Interception of official radio communications.
No person shall equip a vehicle with a radio capable of receiving Police, Sheriff, State Highway Patrol, Forester and Fire Warden calls. (Ord. 10 § 22, 1962)
9.04.040 Harassing, threatening, and annoying contacts to City.
(A) Purpose and Intent. It is the intent of the City Council in enacting the ordinance codified in this Section to protect City staff from harassing, threatening, and annoying contacts from the public while respecting the constitutional rights of free speech for all citizens. This Section is intended to be consistent with existing and forthcoming law protecting employees from such harassment in the workplace, including recent California Senate Bills 428 (concerning temporary restraining orders and protective orders for employee harassment) and 553 (concerning occupational safety, preventing workplace violence through restraining orders and workplace violence prevention plans) and Penal Code 653m (concerning preventing improper contacts via electronic communication). This Section is not intended to, and does not, prohibit or inhibit lawful First Amendment speech. The City Council finds that this limited restriction of harassing, threatening, and annoying contacts to the City will provide a balance between the rights of citizens’ free speech and will help avoid or diminish hostile situations in the City.
(B) Prohibitions.
(1) No person shall contact the City’s employees, representatives, and agents in person to harass, threaten, or annoy them, including making repeated in person contacts with use of obscene language, threats of violence, threatening behavior, or with the intent to annoy.
(2) No person shall contact the City’s employees, representatives, and agents via telephone or other electronic communication to harass, threaten, or annoy them, including making repeated telephone calls with the use of obscene language, threats of violence, or with the intent to annoy. (Ord. 1634 § 16, 2024)
9.04.050 Enforcement.
The City is authorized to take such actions as may be required for enforcement of this Chapter. The City may enforce any violation of this Chapter by any and all means available by law, including, but not limited to, civil enforcement through such means as a restraining order and nuisance abatement action for relief such as preliminary or permanent injunction, criminal enforcement, and administrative enforcement. These remedies are intended to be cumulative and may be used in conjunction with or in lieu of each other remedy. (Ord. 1634 § 17, 2024)
9.04.060 Public nuisance.
Any violation of this Chapter shall constitute a public nuisance subject to abatement procedures prescribed in PMC Chapter 8.36 (Regulation of Property Maintenance). (Ord. 1634 § 18, 2024)
9.04.070 Penalties.
Violations of any provision of this Chapter shall be punishable as set forth in PMC Chapter 1.12 (Penalty Provisions). Each day that a violation of this Chapter occurs shall constitute a new and separate offense as provided in PMC § 1.12.030 (Continuing violations). (Ord. 1634 § 19, 2024)