Motels in certain areas of California have been issued a new set of rules by Costa Mesa City Council members: Quit calling on cops for every little thing, or you’ll be fined $360 each time.
The council voted the new mandate based on logic that some motels were calling on police far too frequently, basically using the city force as private protectors, Fox News reported. But not all on the council favored the telephone call crackdown. A couple of them feared the new law might leave guests in the lurch in regards to security.
“I think we’re opening a Pandora’s Box to encourage crime,” said Councilwoman Wendy Leece in the Los Angeles Times report.
The fine will be affixed to those motels and hotels that average more than 0.4 calls per room per month, under the city’s “nuisance activity’ laws, the paper reported.
City officials said if motels and hotels want to reduce the number of calls to police, they can start becoming more selective about the guests they rent to, Fox News reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.