Brookville Police Chief pledges to strongly deal with code violations

By John Estridge

Brookville Police Chief Terry Mitchum told town council members the police department will begin enforcing code ordinances soon, and the enforcement will be more stringent than what has traditionally been done in the past.

According to Mitchum, the enforcement is not about writing tickets and collecting fines, but it is to clean up the town. Officers will be walking around town on May 7-9, then in July and again in October, with the intent to strongly enforce the ordinances.

“That doesn’t mean we’re not going to be enforcing, I’m just starting the jump start to this so people can get used the fact that we’re going to be enforcing the ordinances more than normal,” Mitchum said. “Because a lot of times we haven’t, and I think we ought to step that part of our enforcement up.”

Last year, Brookville Town Council members moved the enforcement of code ordinances from the office of the town administrator to the Brookville Police Department. It came after many of the residents on 12^th Street complained about one property, but it took a long time for the town to force the renters at that property to clean up the property.

Mitchum said some of the areas where the officers will be enforcing are: abandoned or unlicensed vehicles, trash and garbage, grass needs to be cut, weeds and people parking the wrong way on streets.

“I’m hoping they go out and fix up some of the issues,” Mitchum said. “I just want to clean up the town a little. This is not about making money; this is not about writing tickets. I will give a couple weeks notice, and I hope people will go out and take care of those issues. But we will be enforcing it strongly.

“We have numerous violations out there that need to be pointed out,” he continued. “And I’m going to have to go out and, unfortunately, doing a couple of blitzes. What I mean is we’re not hitting this or this, we’re hitting every property. Every house in town will be visited and a walk-by by the police department. It’s happening beginning the seventh and eighth (of May).”

Mitchum said he decided to do it in this fashion because his office has received numerous complaints about unkempt properties and parking violations in the town. He said there are many complaints coming from the Valley. He gave examples of trash, mattresses, car parts, five cars in one yard, grass and weeds.

“I want everyone to know I hear your complaints, and we’re going to move forward and start enforcing it strongly starting out May 7, but all year long,” Mitchum said. “I’m just giving those three dates are going to be strongly walked, and officers are going to every property.”

On a related matter, Mitchum said there are a few people who refuse to pay their parking tickets. If they come into town, their vehicle will be towed and impounded. He said one vehicle has already been towed. He said most people do comply.