Okay....
Time for a wildly unpopular opinion. I work in Law Enforcement...I am not a LEO but have spent 26 years working in public safety.
I don't have any personal beef against skate boarders and I agree that kids need an outlet..a chance to be kids. I am also NOT supporting brutality in any form.
Okay..disclaimers done - people keep posting comment like...its just a city ordinance...it was skateboard day....kids need to be kids....
We have a city ordinance preventing jack hammering after 10 pm.....shooting varmit animals within city limits....AND against skate boarding.
Would you like us to just give your neighbor who runs power tools all night or the guy who has a gopher problem and shoots his .22 rifle in the front yard while your kids are outside playing just a nice warning since it is just a city ordinance after all ?
We have a skate board ordinance because skate boarders...just trying to have fun...caused tens of 1000's of dollars in damage to sidewalks, steps, curbs, planters and other infrastructure at taxpayers expense. There were also injuries to pedestrians that needed to stop. SOOOO..we built a skatepark...with their input and suggestions,,,,,and they still insist on skating downtown and violating the city ordinance.
Should they be picked up and fined if they break the law ? Yes. Is there a reasonable way to do it ? Sure. Some local communities have a forfiture policy. If you violate the skate board ordinance you lose your gear...that can get pretty expensive.
If their city has no skate park...lobby the city council and work within the system to get one...and then USE IT.
**Doning my Flame Resistant Suit **