Proposed Ordinance To Banish Criminals From Oregon City's Downtown

July 25, 2008 8:37 p.m. EST

Eugene, OR (AHN) - Eugene city officials fed up with crime are mulling an ordinance that will keep convicts and would-be criminals out of the downtown area for up to one year.

Under the proposal, which is awaiting the council's vote pending the conclusion of a public hearing, a person charged with a crime such as robbery or assault would be banned from downtown Eugene for 90 days. Convicted criminals will not be allowed downtown for one year.

The proposal from councilors Andrea Ortiz and Mike Clark drew mixed reactions from the police and merchants supporting the ban and human rights advocates opposing it.

The ordinance would be effective in fighting crime and blight that have picked up due to the economic downturn, Chief of Police Robert Lehner told ABCNews.com.

Exclusion of offenders should be left up to the municipal court's decision, lawyers of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a public hearing on the ordinance on Monday.