Chandler's unruly gathering, brass knuckles laws in effect

As a pair of new ordinances went into effect this week, the city of Chandler issued a news release covering some ordinance details and parts of the city's rollout plan.

The "unruly gathering law" allows police to disperse an unruly gathering and either cite or charge those responsible.  The "brass kunckles law" restricts sale or possession of such an item among minors in Chandler.

Both ordinances went into effect June 24, a month after the Chandler City Council unanimously passed both.

Here are some provisions of the ordinance:

• A person attending an unruly gathering can receive a citation if they fail to follow an order of a police officer to disperse. Repeat offenders can be charged with a misdemeanor.

• Parents can face violations for actions of their children younger than 18.

• Violators can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor if any of the following occur: A person younger than 21, possessing or consuming alcohol; illegal drugs are present; an act designated a felony under state law; a physical altercation that results in injury; those present have previous citation(s) for an unruly gathering within the previous  180 days.

Violators can be issued a citation and fined or they can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Here are some provisions of the "brass knuckles law":

• Anyone younger than 18 is prohibited from possessing or buying brass knuckles.

• Businesses must confirm that anyone buying brass knuckles is 18 or older

• Violators can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor.

• This becomes the most-serious offense that can be prosecuted in Chanlder Municipal Court.

• Anyone guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor can face fines up to $2,500, with as long as six months in jail and three years of probation.

Notices about the unruly gathering law have been distributed to 486 registered short-term rental properties in Chandler. Notices about the brass knuckles law have been sent to 98 second-hand, pawn, smoke shops, defense and weapons-related Chandler businesses.

Information about these laws and the penalties for violations has been shared with administrators of public, private and charter schools with high school and middle school campuses in Chandler. The extensive community education campaign targeting Chandler teens, young adults and parents begins June 24.

Video and audio spots in English, Spanish and Mandarin will start appearing on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Spotify, TikTok and YouTube. The spots encourage residents to visit chandleraz.gov/teenviolence for details.

We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments on this topic.  Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org .