[Ord. 671, 1/14/1986]
1. 
It shall be unlawful for any person to 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.
A. 
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 police officer, refuses to identify himself or herself, or manifestly endeavors to conceal himself or herself or any object.
B. 
As a procedural condition to conviction, if practicable and unless flight by the actor or other circumstance makes it impracticable, a police officer shall, before any arrest under this Section, afford the actor an opportunity to dispel any alarm which would otherwise by warranted, by requesting that actor to identify himself or herself and explain his or her presence and conduct. Also, no person shall be convicted of an offense under this Section if it appears at the hearing that the explanation given by the actor was true and, if believed by the police officer at the time, would have dispelled the alarm.
[Ord. 671, 1/14/1986; as amended by Ord. 818, 12/10/2013]
Under circumstances falling short of rendering that person an implied invitee or licensee, it shall be unlawful for any person to linger in or about, and for a purpose unconnected with lawful activity related to, facilities of a restricted public nature, including a store, school, bus stop, the post office, any Borough property, or any place of public worship, or any parking area serving any such facility of a restricted public nature. Such specific places shall be deemed to include, to the fullest extent permitted as reasonable under all the circumstances, any point within 100 feet of such a place or facility for the effective dispelling of alarm for safety of persons or property, prevention of disruption of activities in which such facilities specialize, and minimizing of trespassing or trespassing from the beginning.
[Ord. 671, 1/14/1986; as amended by Ord. 818, 12/10/2013]
1. 
On any public street, including sidewalks along a street (and walls, steps, or points immediately adjacent to a street so as to minimize evasion) it shall be unlawful for three or more persons as a group, or as interacting individuals or groups, to linger for more than 10 minutes under circumstances that warrant alarm for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity.
A. 
A police officer, acting reasonably and objectively, may warn those persons to disperse.
B. 
If reasonably necessary to dispel any alarm which would otherwise be warranted, a police officer may clear the area of those persons, causing those who refuse or fail to leave to be taken to the police station. At the police station, the officer on duty shall ascertain relevant facts, under constitutional safeguards, and assume centralized responsibility for accurate, effective, fair, impartial, and uniform enforcement. Those persons may thereupon be permitted to return, or be escorted, to their respective homes if such action is consonant with dispelled alarm for the safety of persons or property in the area affected. The officer shall promptly, within 24 hours, file a written report with the Chief or other person or official in charge of the police force.
C. 
As a last resort for effective crowd control, after consultation with the Mayor, proceedings may be instituted before the magisterial district judge under this Section.
[Ord. 671, 1/14/1986]
Any police officer is authorized to arrest on view any person violating any provision of any of the foregoing Sections of this Part.
[Ord. 671, 1/14/1986; as amended by Ord. 719, 6/11/1991; and by Ord. 818, 12/10/2013]
Any person who violates any provision of this Part shall, for every such violation, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a magisterial district judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this Part continues or each Section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
[Ord. 671, 1/14/1986]
1. 
Severability is intended throughout and within the provisions, parts, phrases, and terms of this Part and the application of it; if any such be held invalid this shall have no effect in any respect, and the invalidity of any minimum number shall have no effect on the applicability of the minimum number constitutionally permissible, or any higher number.
2. 
A constitutional construction is likewise intended in every respect and from excess of caution exercise of First Amendment rights is specifically excepted from the provisions of sections of this Part.
3. 
Nothing in this Part shall pertain to, or prohibit, any lawful public meeting or assemblage of citizens, nor shall it restrict lawful and peaceable picketing, so long as one-half of the width of the sidewalk is kept clear by the pickets for pedestrian travel.