Feb 26, 2008 5:55 pm US/Central
City Proposes List Of Rules To Stop Bathroom Sex
(WCCO)
-
-
Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, was arrested in this Minneapolis airport bathroom during a sex sting conducted by local police.
CBS
Minnetonka is the latest community in the Twin Cities that has to deal with the problem of stopping men from using public restrooms to have sex.
The case that brought this issue into the national spotlight was when Idaho Sen. Larry Craig was caught up in a sex sting at MSP airport in 2007.
Craig is still fighting his disorderly conduct conviction in that case.
Minnetonka officials considered that ordeal as they developed new ways to tackle the problem they're seeing in one of their city parks.
Minnetonka's city council is considering a long list of do's and don'ts for restrooms. The proposal would prohibit peering into someone else's stall and if passed, other no-no's include:
-- No standing or climbing on fixtures.
-- No sitting, kneeling or lying down on the floor.
-- No sitting on fixtures not meant to be sat upon.
Violators would be charged with a misdemeanor and not allowed to use public restrooms for a year.
At Purgatory Park in January, an undercover cop arrested three men during a sex sting.
The men face indecent conduct and other charges, but the police chief wants a more specific law.
"We want to make sure that there isn't any loopholes in our city ordinance ... to actually enable people to get out of a crime through some other defense," said Chief Mark Raquet, Minnetonka Police.
The chief said city staff researched the infamous Sen. Larry Craig case as it crafted its ordinance.
One park visitor reacted to the proposal.
"I kind of ... hate to see more rules, but if that's what it takes to solve the problem, I don't have a problem with it," said Gene Theal who walks his dog at the park.
As police wait to see if the ordinance is approved, they're stepping up patrols here.
"Our plan it to eliminate it from this particular park," said Raquet.
A spokesperson for the city attorney's office in Minnetonka said it is difficult to prove intent when suspects are prosecuted under different laws such as invasion of privacy.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
