HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Fond du Lac, No Loitering Ordinance City of Fond du Lac, WI
Tuesday, September 8, 2020
Chapter 500. Peace and Good Order
§ 500-2. Loitering and prowling.
A. Loitering. No person shall loiter or prowl in a place, at a time or in a manner not usual for law
abiding individuals under circumstances that warrant alarm for the safety of persons or property in
the vicinity. Among the circumstances which may be considered in determining whether such
alarm is warranted is the fact that the actor takes flight upon appearance of a peace officer,
refuses to identify himself or manifestly endeavors to conceal himself or any object. Unless flight
by the actor or other circumstances make it impracticable, a peace officer shall, prior to any arrest
for any offense under this section, afford the actor an opportunity to dispel any alarm which would
otherwise be warranted by requesting him to identify himself and explain his presence and
conduct. No person shall be convicted of an offense under this section if the peace officer did not
comply with the preceding sentence or if it appears at trial that the explanation given by the actor
was true and, if believed by the peace officer at the time, would have dispelled the alarm.
B. Dwelling areas, etc. No person shall wait or otherwise loiter in the vicinity of any private dwelling
house, apartment building or any other place of residence with the unlawful intent to watch, gaze
or look upon the occupants therein in a clandestine manner.
C. Public rest rooms. No person shall loiter in or about any toilet open to the public for the purpose of
engaging in or soliciting any lewd or lascivious or any unlawful act.
D. Public grounds. No person shall loiter in or about any public grounds at or near where children or
students normally congregate. As used in this subsection, 'loiter" means to delay, linger or idle in
or about any public grounds without a lawful purpose for being present.
[Amended 1-10-1996 by Ord. No. 2817]
E. Presence on school grounds prohibited.
[Amended 1-10-1996 by Ord. No. 2817]
(1) No person other than a student of the particular school, parent or guardian of such student, or
employee or agent of the Fond du Lac School District shall be present in the building or on
the grounds of any school operated by the District during regular school hours on any day
when the school is in session without the express permission of an authorized representative
of the school.
(2) A student of a particular school who is on school grounds but who is not in attendance at an
assigned class at any particular time shall be guilty of a violation of this subsection.
(3) A student who has been suspended or expelled from a school shall not be considered a
student of the school during the period of such suspension or expulsion and is prohibited from
being present on any school building, premises or grounds at any time throughout the period
of such suspension or expulsion absent express permission from an authorized
representative of the school.
(4) Any person who goes into a school building or onto the school grounds in violation of
Subsection E(l), (2) and (3) above and subsequently refuses to leave said building or
grounds after being requested to do so by an authorized representative of the school or a
police officer shall be deemed in violation of this subsection.
(5) If a school is an official polling place, Subsection E(1), (2) and (3) shall not apply to an elector
entering said building on a designated election day to cast his or her ballot.
F. Public buildings. No person shall lodge in any public building, structure or place without the
permission of the owner or person entitled to possession or in control thereof.
G. Obstruction of traffic by loitering. No person shall loaf or loiter in a group or a crowd upon the
public streets, alleys, sidewalks, street crossings or bridges or in any other public place within the
City in such manner as to prevent, interfere with or obstruct the ordinary free use of such public
streets, sidewalks, alleys, street crossings and bridges or other public places by persons passing
along and over the same.
[Amended 4-24-1996 by Ord. No. 2834]
H. Loitering after being requested to move.
[Amended 4-24-1996 by Ord. No. 2834]
(1) Obstructing highways. No person shall obstruct any street, bridge, sidewalk or crossing by
lounging or loitering in or upon the same after being requested to move on by any police
officer.
(2) In groups or crowds. No person shall loaf or loiter in a group or a crowd upon the public
streets or sidewalks, or in adjacent doorways or entrances, or on street crossings or bridges
or in any other public place or on any private premises without invitation from the owner or
occupant, after being requested to move on by any police officer or by any person in authority
at such places.
(3) In places of public assembly or use. No person shall loiter, lounge or loaf in or about any
depot, theater, dance hall, restaurant, store, sidewalk, parking lot, or other place of assembly
or public use after being requested to move on by any police officer or by the owner or other
person in charge of such place. Upon being requested to move, a person shall comply
immediately with such request by leaving the premises or the area.
(4) When signs posted. No person shall loiter, lounge or loaf on private property posted by means
of a sign or signs prohibiting such conduct, without the express consent of the owner or other
person in charge thereof. The presence of a person on such property for a period of 10
minutes or longer after being requested to move by the owner or person in charge or
his/her/its agent shall be presumptive evidence of a violation of this subsection.0]
[1] Editor's Note:Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. 11).