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February 10, 2010

TRIBUNE-STAR EDITORIAL: Despite good intentions, ordinance too intrusive on local businesses

Anonymous The Tribune Star Wed Feb 10, 2010, 05:51 PM EST

TERRE HAUTE — Property crimes are a well-documented scourge in Terre Haute and Vigo County, and we applaud law enforcement officials for their successful efforts in recent years to attack the problem.

That said, the proposed city ordinance to require some businesses to report daily sales information to the police in hopes of recovering more stolen property goes too far.

After weeks of debate and counter-proposals, the Terre Haute City Council may vote on the ordinance at tonight’s meeting in City Hall. Specifically, the ordinance would require scrap metal, pawnshop and other secondhand merchandise dealers to make detailed Internet report details of their daily purchases to police.

Advocates of the ordinance, which include city police, believe it will help recover stolen property and increase arrests for property crimes.

There’s no reason to dispute claims that this ordinance would serve as a useful tool in some circumstances in the ongoing battle against property crimes, especially as it relates to scrap metal thefts. Assistant city police chief Shawn Keen has effectively made that argument to the council.

It’s now time, however, for council members to weigh the usefulness of the plan against the detrimental impact it could have on small businesses in our community. By our assessment, that impact is too great a burden and could potentially make doing business in the community too costly.

While the intent of the law is good, its reach is worrisome. Even if it does make resolving some property crimes easier, we are confident that police can deal efficiently with such crimes with tools now at their disposal.

Why are we confident of that? Because local police tell us so.

Recently, police released statistics that indicate crime rates of all kinds are declining in Terre Haute. Property crimes continue to remain higher than in most Indiana cities of comparable size, but last year’s rate was the lowest since 1993. And with violent crime rates at all-time lows, police now have more time to concentrate their energies on property crimes.

Small businesses that deal in secondhand items have an obligation and responsibility to follow laws and cooperate with police investigations. Most do. Those that don’t deserve to be pursued and prosecuted.

Placing costly mandates on businesses seems intrusive and unnecessary, and our police department will continue doing great work without such an ordinance in hand.

The City Council should vote this one down.

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