Home Brentwood Fighting Solicitors, Brentwood POA Explains New Ordinance

Fighting Solicitors, Brentwood POA Explains New Ordinance

by ECT

Kudos go out to the Brentwood Police Officers Association who put out information regarding what Brentwood residents can do to prevent those annoying solicitors or peddlers after the City Council adopted Ordinance 912 back in May. The ordinance now makes it unlawful for a person who is not exempt to operate in the city as a peddler/solicitor without a permit issued by the Brentwood Police Department.

Essentically, if one wants to go door to door, they must register with the police department for a badge. Without the badge, one can be arrested. Residents are also encouraged to purchase a “no solicitors” sign for their home as a primary tool to stop those knocks on doors. The badge, according to the Police officers Association,  has already become an effective tool with several arrests having been made since the City Council action.

On a larger scale, we would encourage Antioch and Oakley to take up a similar ordinance while simultaneously enforcing the rules to cut down on the number of times solicitors knocking on doors.

Via the Brentwood POA.

In May 2013 the Brentwood City Council adopted Ordinance 912, which governs solicitor/peddlers operating within Brentwood city limits. The Ordinance is a result of the city council’s wishes to protect the city’s residents and business from uninvited solicitors, peddlers and vendors to: (1) protect against criminal activity, including fraud and burglary; (2) minimize the unwelcome disturbance of residents and their privacy; (3) preclude solicitation and sales by individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes; (4) prevent the solicitation of funds in captive-audience areas; (5) preclude peddling where it would interfere with pedestrian and vehicular passage; and (6) generally preserve the public health, safety and welfare.

Ordinance 912 now makes it unlawful for a person who is not exempt to operate in the city as a peddler/solicitor without a permit issued by the Brentwood Police Department. Permits issued by the police department will include the person’s name, photograph, date of issuance/expiration, and the kind of goods being sold. All permittees are required to carry the permit in a holder furnished by the city and it must be displayed in a prominent place on himself/herself.

Those persons exempt from this ordinance are as follows:
1. peddling/soliciting by a non-profit organization (501(c)(3));
2. peddling/soliciting by anyone under 16 years old;
3. selling to retail establishments;
4. a licensed real estate person;
5. a person seeking only to inform or persuade others on issues, or collect signatures, where no immediate donation is requested or received;
6. a person who is otherwise exempt under state or federal law, who provides the city evidence of entitlement to the exemption.

If you encounter any person peddling or soliciting whom you believe is in violation of this ordinance, you are encouraged to contact the Brentwood Police Department at 778-2441. When making your report, please include a physical and/or clothing description of the person, as well as their last direction of travel. Officers making contact with these persons will investigate and take the appropriate enforcement action, which may include a citation or arrest.

Sample Solicitor Permit

You can follow Brentwood Police Officers Association by “liking” them on Facebook.

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16 comments

Janet Zacharatos Jul 25, 2013 - 7:31 am

Good job Brentwood! Antioch is usually slow on any measure to help and protect its citizens. Maybe they’ll adopt this measure. Or, maybe they’ll worry that some retail association will sue them!

nicole Jul 25, 2013 - 8:30 am

Amen Janet! Antioch doesn’t do anything to help us residents. they do everything backwards and has caused us more harm than good! Their only motive is we are broke and dont want to get sued so we will continue allowing poverty in that trashes our town while we sit back, watch and wonder why our neighboring city’s have their heads above water! Our city council should join in on some other council meetings for ideas !

Chris - Brentwood Jul 25, 2013 - 9:46 am

Antioch would be dumb not to adopt this especially since they could charge a fee to obtain the permit which would create revenue/income1 $10 per $20 per for a year…whatever. If you live in Antioch your best bet is probably to move like I did…

nada Jul 25, 2013 - 10:24 am

Also wish Antioch would act. The “door-knock” burglaries and other assorted crimes mean that people randomly showing up on our doorsteps are real causes for alarm. Some people are legitimate salespeople, but there are so many who are obviously not. We do need safeguards.

Susan Jul 25, 2013 - 12:42 pm

Would love to see Oakley adopt some sterner measures agaist these solicitors. I work at home (and DON’T want to be interrupted) and I DO have a “No Soliciting” sign prominently displayed by the front door, but STILL they come and ring the bell and try to peddle. Interrups my work, and is REALLY annoying!

Jenn Jul 25, 2013 - 2:19 pm

I live in Oakley, and I too have a no soliciting sign on my door, but somehow this doesn’t seem to stop them from coming to my door and getting the kids and dog excited.. I don’t answer my door to them anymore because if I do they don’t like to take a polite no thank you.. I even had one girl walk into my home when the door opened to sell me floor cleaning services.. Please Oakley! Adopt measures like these!!!

Sean Jul 25, 2013 - 2:45 pm

Does this include leaving business flyers on doors?

Julio-Antioch Jul 25, 2013 - 5:43 pm

Antioch does not collect the fees they are due now. We don’t have the staff to do it. That is what they say about everything.

Joe Blow from Idaho Jul 25, 2013 - 9:52 pm

I wish we could have the same thing for telemarketers. The “Do not call” list does not work.

Jerry Zacharatos Jul 29, 2013 - 11:36 am

Having had been a resident of Antioch a number of years ago and seeing the town now is unbelievable! It has really gone down hill and I really feel sorry for the long term resident still living there. I moved to Stockton 10 years ago and we had a similar Boom and Bust in 2008. Stockton, of course, filed Chapter 9 Bankruptcy and is very successfully emerging from it. Likewise, with aggressive proactive policing and a number of other actions taken, crime has dropped incredibly and is quite low now. I will definitely submit this Brentwood Plan to the Stockton City Council. This is a Great Idea and long over due! Antioch City Government and Council is and has always been very political and not always responsive and focused on the needs and best solutions for it’s residents. It would be helpful if Antioch adopted such a Plan as Brentwood’s and take a good hard look at all of the proactive measures being implemented in Stockton to combat crime and bloated spending.

ECVsBrother Jul 29, 2013 - 6:49 pm

What would be the arrest charge if arrested? Not the citation part. What is the jail sentence for those arrested and convicted? Sounds like a good ordinance. I wonder how many arrests this will produce. This all sounds good like all the zillion other laws that are stacked on the books unenforced. Hope it helps but I doubt it. When they come to my place I turn the water on.

Jerry Zacharatos Jul 30, 2013 - 2:44 pm

To “ECVsBrother”: Your City Government and Antioch Citizenry have to start somewhere. Having lived in Stockton for 10 years, I am thankful for every legal tool and service at our disposal. There have been times in the past where one could not even be safe in ANY neighborhood in Stockton, even if you were packing a gun and bullet proof vest. ALL of that has changed now given that City Government and the Citizens have partnered together for innovative and proactive solutions. Neighborhood Watch is one of the most effective (and NO, NOT George Zimmerman style, but allowing the City Police to do their Job, as well, partnered together with Neighborhood Watches). At one time, it seemed as if everyone had a gun in Stockton, but was no help. The Citizens were still getting Burglarized, shot, murdered, robbed, home invaded, assaulted, etc. Now, we see very little of this. Thus, a lot can happen when a Community and local Government come together, partner, and are committed to proactive changes and improvement in the general conditions of the local community. It is very easy to throw one’s hands up in the air, complain, and/or be negative, and say “Why Try, It’s All Useless Endeavors and Nothing Will Change”. We (including myself) worked hard to improve the Great City of Stockton and you can do the same with Antioch. I wish you could have sen what a great little city Antioch was over 30 years ago! It was something good to behold and affordable!

Mark Solonut Jul 30, 2013 - 5:41 pm

Jerry,

“ECV’s brother” is a internet troll. (He doesn’t even live in Antioch)….He is more of Knightsen type of guy.

He personifies ignorance and has spent far too much time all alone, screaming at the keyboard!

Just ignore him. He is used to it.

Jerry Zacharatos Jul 30, 2013 - 7:06 pm

Thanks Mark For The Heads Up! In any event, Antioch Government does need to be more Proactive and encourage it’s citizens to be part of the solution rather than treating them like they are all part of the problem and these City Hall Officials just go to collect their pay checks, 30 day vacations, and their near 100% Salary Benefits and Fully Paid Medical that comes from unfunded Cal PERS and you and I get stuck to pay their Bills as Taxpayers. Again, they DO NEED to look at Stockton’s Model. Unfortunately, it’s the only model out there for now given that this has been uncharterd waters for public officials. They actually have to start innovating! What a concept that is long overdue, rather than taxing us poor citizens to death and we have nothing to show from it in return!

Jerry Z.

ECVsBrother Jul 30, 2013 - 7:59 pm

Thanks Mark, I Iike it when you chime in like fool. Keep up the good work.

ECV Jul 30, 2013 - 8:25 pm

@ ECVsBrother,

Only one fool here “brother”. Every time you look in the mirror you are staring right at him. It’s a damn shame you are to blind to see. Looks to me like Mark and Jerry now have you figured out too.

I think you are getting worse. Then again you can’t really fix stupid. Run Forrest run!

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