LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday night unanimously and swiftly passed a new ordinance proposed by the police department to curb “loitering” in and about public restrooms.

The new rule would prohibit individuals from loitering within 15 feet of public restrooms and intentionally blocking the entrances and exits.

Offenders ordered to leave for loitering by a peace officer would be barred from returning for 72 hours.

The ordinance exempts any person whose conduct arises out of a medical emergency.

For the Lakeport Police Department, it’s an added tool in their toolbox in response to a rise in loitering behavior at public restrooms.

Over the past 18 months, the police department “through officer contacts noticed that there was a significant increase in the number of people loitering around the entrances and within the restrooms,” said Police Chief Dale Stoebe, who submitted the proposal.

The purpose of the new ordinance was “for the sake of enhancing public safety in the community,” he added.

With just one short public comment, and no council comment or questions, the council voted all in favor to approve the ordinance. The process took less than four minutes.

Four weeks ago, at its Jan. 21 meeting, the City Council conducted its first public hearing for the ordinance, during which it was slightly challenged and received some council discussion.

At that first hearing, Lakeport resident Danny Wind spoke against the ordinance, suggesting that it was about arresting homeless people.

Lakeport Police Officers’ Association President Todd Freitas disagreed in comments he offered during public comment.

Freitas said the ordinance was not targeting the homeless and it was just a warning tool that a police officer could use to ask offenders to leave the public restroom.

Chief Stoebe: More instances, more aggressive encounters

After the meeting, Lake County News sent a text message to Stoebe, inquiring about police data on public restroom loitering, such as the annual increase in the number of cases.

Stoebe replied that the department doesn't keep statistics on that. “It would be very hard to establish a number,” he said in a reply text message.

But Stoebe shared his personal counts for the past 18 months.

“I have personally been to 5 such calls when I don’t think I went to five in the ten years prior (and I worked many more patrol shifts in that 10 year period). Also, those instances have been far more aggressive,” Stoebe wrote.

He gave an example about one of his five encounters: “An apparent biological male was sitting in and completely blocking the entrance to the women’s restroom and only moved after several requests made by law enforcement. This male was suspected of having a behavioral health issue.”

Stoebe’s staff report for the council meeting noted that current local code does not have “an enforceable section to regulate the described conduct,” while related state laws are only “enforceable when a sexual gratification component can be established.”

The new ordinance allows officers to address problematic behavior without imposing fines that could worsen the “financial struggles of unhoused or underprivileged community members,” Stoebe said in the text message.

Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..