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Westmoreland seeks to give law enforcement officials more control over crowds Date published: 11/8/2008
BY FRANK DELANO Westmoreland County has adopted an emergency ordinance giving police new powers to control unruly gatherings. The new law comes in response to recent incidents at Coles Point and Oak Grove, said Sheriff C.O. Balderson and County Administrator Norm Risavi. Fights broke out last week in a crowd of more than 100 people attending a Halloween party at an Oak Grove restaurant, Balderson said. And gunfire wounded three people in the parking lot of the Coles Point Tavern on Oct. 25. The new ordinance allows the sheriff to "regulate, restrict or prohibit" any gathering that presents "an imminent threat of any civil commotion or disturbance in the nature of a riot which constitutes a clear and present danger." Balderson said the ordinance "was not targeted against any specific businesses or businesses. It's a tool we need to protect public safety if things get out of hand." "This Sheriff's Office is going to take every measure to keep people from getting hurt," he said. The new law gives him authority to shut down a business and charge the owner with a misdemeanor, he said. Balderson said three fights--two in the parking lot and one inside the building--broke out at a "Halloween Bash" at the El Cochino Restaurant and Cantina in Oak Grove. In an Oct. 29 letter, Gary Ziegler, the county's director of planning and community development, notified Balderson that the advertised event was "not permitted under the current use (restaurant) at this time." Ziegler said the restaurant's occupancy was limited to 68 people with 18 parking spaces. Ziegler said a larger gathering would be a special event requiring supervisor approval. Ziegler also said that he considered a 1998 zoning permit for the restaurant to be "null and void" because the property owner had not fulfilled a promise to install a new, Virginia Department
CO has been a terrible sheriff his first year in office. He is suppose to protect and serve Westmoreland County.All I see is deputies doing traffic stop, or see all their cars behind the sheriff office all hours of the day and night. While the deputies are busy doing traffic stops there are b/e and shootings in the rest of the county.I believe he is top heavy with useless LTS and SGTS. And have you read any of the myspace accounts of some of the dispatcher? Also rumors of affairs within co-workers.
Beacher sounds like one of the anti-C.O. crowd. Check your constitutional and state law. He's going about it the right way. Other localities and most cities have had similar ordinances for years. Now his deputies can "handle the problem" legally and safely. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county, representing the executive branch of government. The B.O.S. represent legislative. Legislative makes the laws, Executive enforces them. It's that simple. And-no, I'm not one of his deputies.
Sounds like CO Balderson is having a hard time controlling larges groups of people in Westmoreland County. He needs help, CO let your deputies handle the problem instead of running to the board for help.
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