Town of Normal staff is reworking a proposed zero-tolerance policy on big outdoor parties, after the town council heard lots of criticism about the plan earlier this month.
Police Chief Steve Petrilli said he helped craft the measure to ban amplified sound and gatherings of more than 50 people in public places, adding town staff heard loud and clear from the public.
“We’re taking the input from the community and trying to put together an ordinance that will balance all the concerns and make everyone happy in the end,” Petrilli said on WGLT’s Sound Ideas.
Critics told the town council the ordinance to restrict pop-up parties goes too far and could led to certain groups being unfairly targeted.
Petrilli said the town has a singular focus in crafting a new rule.
“The focus of this ordinance is going to be on dealing with some of those pop-up parties that really have a nexus to criminal activity,” he said.
The town drafted the ordinance after a fatal shooting that followed a large outdoor party during Illinois State University's homecoming weekend in September.
There have been no arrests, through Petrilli said the department is making progress in its investigation.
The chief said big gatherings like this can produce lots of potential evidence, but that takes time to review.
“When you’ve got that much digital media, you’ve got that many witnesses, it’s an arduous task for detectives to sift through all the information. That’s what we’ve been doing,” he said, adding the department has being reviewing video evidence from social media and from businesses’ security footage while also interviewing witnesses.
One person was killed in the Sept. 29 shooting. One person remains hospitalized in stable condition, said Petrilli.
Gun violence commission
The Town of Normal and McLean County declined invitations to participate in Bloomington's commission on gun violence, according to commission chair Scott Denton.
The Special Commission on Safe Communities has been meeting over the last year and plans to produce recommendations when it's done.
Petrilli said his department still plays an active role in trying to address gun violence in the community.
“We’re not an active participant on that commission, however we do have constant dialogue with our mutual aid partners and that seems to be working at this point for information sharing,” Petrilli said.
A criminal justice expert who spoke to the commission last week called for law enforcement, domestic violence victims and advocates to organize a summit on domestic violence.
Petrilli said the town already plays an active role in trying to reduce domestic violence.
“Anytime there’s a discussion to be had, and the Normal Police Department is a needed partner, we’ll always be at the table. We do that now,” he said.
The gun violence commission decided to further explore domestic violence following the shooting death of Amy Moore of Normal in May.
