Increased enforcement of bike law irks parents

NEWARK — Increased enforcement of a decades-old Newark law about bicycle registration has irritated the parents of several teenagers who were cited Monday night.

Six teenagers were cited for a violation of Newark ordinance 475.15 around 7:10 p.m. Monday while on the Courthouse Square.

The ordinance states that anyone riding a bicycle in Newark must have it registered with the Newark Division of Police. Anyone in violation can have their bicycle impounded.

Buffie Hoar, the mother of one of the teenagers, said her 16-year-old son is a “good kid” and has never been in trouble with the law. She doesn’t understand why the law is being enforced now.

After going to the Square on Monday night to be with her son, she said she noticed several other people riding around on bicycles who were not stopped by police.

“They profiled these teenagers,” she said. “Seems to me if it is a law for one, it should be a law for all.”

The teenagers all had their bicycles impounded and were issued citations, for which they will have to appear in Licking County Juvenile Court.

Chief Barry Connell said enforcing the law isn’t as simple as stopping every bicycle rider.

“It’s like speeding,” he said. “If I have to pull one person over, I may have to let another person go while I’m dealing with them.”

Hoar said officers told her they would deal with other cyclists after finishing with the teens, but she said the officers left the scene without stopping anyone else.

Connell said the enforcement has been stepped up in recent months because of increased complaints by residents and business owners in the area of the Square.

Callers have complained about yelling, profanity, fights and other disturbances in the area.

He said the city took the step of posting signs on the Square about its status as a city park and that it closes at dark. Officers have also been telling teens and bicycle riders on the Square about the bicycle registration law in anticipation of increased enforcement.

“We needed a strategy,” he said.

A disturbance call is what drew officers to the Square on Monday night, they reported.

Connell said the group of teenagers had been outside Newark’s Municipal Building and had been told to leave. The group apparently went to the Square because several minutes later, a local business called police to report a disturbance and possible fight in progress.

That’s when officers responded and asked the teens whether their bikes were registered, Connell said.

At least two of the teenagers in the group had been told last week about the bicycle registration requirement by one of the officers who responded to the Square, he said.

“I can understand if this is an issue and you tell them you have 24 hours, go get your license and show proof,” Hoar said. “They impounded his bike. Something this child loves dearly.”

Hoar said she plans to fight her son’s citation in Juvenile Court.

The bicycles will be released to the parents of the teenagers after they complete the registration and pay the $1 fee to have a bicycle license, Connell said. All registered bikes are entered into a database that will allow them to be returned to their rightful owners if they are reported stolen and later recovered.

Connell said the police auction off dozens of bikes each year that have been found or recovered but whose owners have not been located.

Newark police also are working to step up foot patrols on the Square, including the option of using reserve officers. Connell said that while police have bikes, they do not have the staffing to have a bike patrol right now.