Fines for Drinking, Urinating in Public May Skyrocket

Chicago Police in the 19th District have already beefed up their “zero tolerance” plan for people caught peeing and drinking in public, but now, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is joining them.

Emanuel’s plan to increase jail time and fines for things like gambling, and urinating and drinking in public are advancing in the City Council, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.

The move comes after the city found those crimes have the highest rate of default, with as many as 70 percent of offenders ignoring the fine and the administrative hearings.

The City Council Public Safety Committee approved the mayor’s plan to increase jail time to up to six months, and double the maximum fine. That would mean up to $1,000 penalties for drinking and urinating in the public way, and $400 for gambling for offenders who initially ignore the tickets, CBS Chicago writes.

Emanuel’s new plan comes in the wake of a recent crackdown in the 19th Police District on the same issues, with local police starting a “zero tolerance” initiatives centered on Wrigleyvilles St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and Boystown’s Pride Fest Parade.

“Zero tolerance is every day now,” said 19th District Commander Elias Voulgaris at the annual Wrigley Field meeting. “We’re not going to just drive by a person who’s urinating in the public way. We want everyone to come to the neighborhood to have a good time, but zero tolerance is every day.”

“This sort of unchecked behavior will then lead to further disorder and can ultimately lead to other crimes such as solicitation, narcotics sales and gang loitering.”

Police reportedly issued an increased number of tickets on St. Patrick’s Day in Lake View for those caught peeing in public, but exact numbers were not immediately available.

The plan to increase fines is a move that would also be in conjunction with a newly approved ordinance aimed to cut public drinking at parades, specifically on the North Side, the gay pride parade.

Ald. Tom Tunney (44th) said February that he’s less concerned about the harsher fines and more concerned with how many officers are on the streets focusing on these quality of life issues.           

“What I’m concerned about, fine or not, who’s managing the parade for the overall quality of life,” Tunney said. “Whether you arrest someone or write them a ticket, it takes (an officer) off the streets. I think we’ve had a pretty good relationship with or police department on how to manage the parade.”

The quality of life concerns is exactly the reason why Emanuel’s plan is being introduced, according to Deputy chief of patrol Steve Georgas.

“This sort of unchecked behavior will then lead to further disorder and can ultimately lead to other crimes such as solicitation, narcotics sales and gang loitering,” Georgas told the Sun-Times. “That is why it is imperative that we enforce these quality of life issues that are being ignored, so offenders realize their behavior will not be accepted.”

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