dover council meeting

Nearly every seat in the Dover city council chamber was filled during a special meeting on Thursday, Jan. 26. (Photo: WBOC) 

DOVER, Del.- City council met Thursday night to discuss a proposed loitering ordinance. With emotions running high and different perspectives in play, a decision still remains uncertain. 

Dover neighbors packed the council chambers during the special meeting, voicing their concerns over the city's proposed loitering ordinance. 

While opinions varied, one thing was clear: the problem of loitering is creating feelings of insecurity in the community. 

Bobby Wilson is a downtown business owner. He said, "there is a lot of overdosing going on right at my front step."

"I am constantly asking guys to move and we have mothers, daughters, aunts and uncles that cannot walk down the street to go and shop and patronize the businesses," said Wilson. 

President of the Central Delaware NAACP, Fleur McKendell, thinks the ordinance would not alleviate the issue. 

"As I listened to people speak I really understood that a $25 ticket or fine is not going to be the resolution," she said. 

The proposed ordinance would allow police officers to impose fines for loitering rather than make full custody arrests. 

McKendell said this would not be effective if the police are not present to enforce it. 

"Put more cops on the street maybe to walk the beat in some of these parking lots where people are saying illicit drug use is happening," said McKendell. "People using the restroom outside and people having public sexual intercourse need to be dealt with." 

Dover's police chief supports the ordinance, as it would increase enforcement downtown and help alleviate the department's shortage of officers. 

"If we don't have it the net effect really is that my cadets won't be able to enforce anything," said Chief Thomas Johnson. "They don't have statutory authority so we'd just use the state law to do what we need to do." 

After a nearly five hour meeting, council members promised to take the feedback into consideration as they move forward. 

Safety concerns regarding Irish Mikes downtown bar were also a topic of discussion at the special meeting. 

Council members heard from the owner of the bar, and chose not to take any disciplinary action.