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Town of Johnston, RI
Providence County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Council of the Town of Johnston 12-10-1979 by Ord. No. 440 as Secs. 17-7, 17-10, 17-12 and 17-14 of the 1979 Code. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Entertainment — See Ch. 158.
Firearms — See Ch. 169.
Graffiti — See Ch. 183.
Loitering — See Ch. 210.
Noise — See Ch. 224.
Every person who shall wantonly or maliciously cut, break or otherwise injure any fire hose or other fire-fighting apparatus belonging to any volunteer fire-fighting organization located in the Town, or any operator of an automobile, truck, wagon or other vehicle, who shall drive over or upon any fire hose while the same is laying upon any public highway or street in the Town while the same is being used for fire fighting or other necessary purposes connected with any volunteer fire-fighting company in the Town, shall for each offense be punished as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter, stand, sit or in any way, by act or words, obstruct the orderly passage of members of the public to and from any place, public or private, or to create a disturbance to any individual by act or words. The penalty for violation of this section will be as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.
B. 
Upon complaint of violation of this section, the Police Department and/or its authorized personnel shall investigate the complaint, and if, in the opinion of the official so investigating, the situation is such that a violation of this section is imminent, he may disperse the individuals, whose failure to obey the order of dispersal will be punishable by a fine as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.
A. 
It shall be unlawful for any unauthorized vehicles and all mini-bikes and go carts and any other unlicensed vehicles to be on school property at any time.
B. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter on school property after the close of school or after the completion of any authorized school activity with the exception of children using the playground facilities during the daytime.
C. 
The penalty for violation of this section shall be as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.
A. 
A person commits disorderly conduct if he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly:
(1) 
Engages in fighting or threatening, or in violent or tumultuous behavior; or
(2) 
In a public place or near a private residence that he has no right to occupy, disturbs another person by making loud and unreasonable noise which under the circumstances would disturb a person of average sensibilities; or
(3) 
Directs at another person in a public place offensive words which are likely to provoke a violent reaction on the part of the average person so addressed; or
(4) 
Alone or with others, obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, building entrance, elevator, aisle, stairway or hallway to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access or any other place ordinarily used for the passage of persons, vehicles or conveyances; or
(5) 
Engages in conduct which obstructs or interferes physically with a lawful meeting, procession or gathering; or
(6) 
Enters upon the property of another and for a lascivious purpose looks into an occupied dwelling on the property through a window or other opening; or
(7) 
Exposes his genitals to the view of others under circumstances in which his conduct is likely to cause affront, distress or alarm to such other persons.
B. 
Any person found guilty of the crime of disorderly conduct shall punishable as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.
[Added 9-10-1991 by Ord. No. 823]
A. 
Declaration. It is hereby declared that the cornerstone of a democratic government is the protection of the home; that the public welfare and order in a community requires that members of said community enjoy in their homes and dwellings a feeling of well-being, tranquility, and privacy and that, while absent from their homes and dwellings, are assured that they may return home to that same feeling of well-being and tranquility; that the practice of picketing before or about residences and dwellings interferes with the quiet peaceful enjoyment of one's home and dwelling and causes emotional distress to the occupants, and obstructs and interferes with the free use of public sidewalks and walkways; that such practice has as its object the harassing of such occupants; and without resort to such practice full opportunity exists and under the terms and provisions of this section will continue to exist for the exercise of freedom of speech and other protected rights in a democratic society; and that the provisions hereinafter enacted are necessary for the public interest to avoid the detrimental results herein set forth.
B. 
Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in picketing before or about the residence or dwelling of any individual. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit:
(1) 
Picketing in any lawful manner during any labor dispute.
(2) 
The holding of a meeting or assembly on any premises commonly used for the discussion of subjects of general public interest.
C. 
Anyone convicted of a violation of any of the provisions of this section shall be punishable as provided in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.
[Added 10-12-1993 by Ord. No. 901; amended 12-13-1993 by Ord. No. 906]
A. 
No person shall without lawful authority attempt to or in fact alter, deface, injure, knock down, remove or conceal any official traffic control device, road sign, traffic sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof.
B. 
No person shall, without lawful authority, be in possession of any official traffic control device, road sign, traffic sign or signal or any inscription, shield or insignia thereon, or any other part thereof.
C. 
Penalty. Any person who violates any of the provisions of this section shall be guilty of larceny, punishable as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code. All persons found guilty hereunder shall be fined as directed. The trier of fact shall not forgive, issue warnings or mitigate this penalty in any manner whatsoever.
D. 
Return of such property. Any person who shall voluntarily return said signs and property to the Highway Department of the Town of Johnston prior to being found in possession shall be held harmless from prosecution.
[Added 11-8-1993 by Ord. No. 904]
Every person who shall willfully and maliciously or mischievously injure or destroy or write upon, paint or otherwise deface the property of another, or obstruct the use of property of another, after said person shall be found guilty of said violation, shall be punishable as set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article II, of this Code.