Lincoln Park — The City of Lincoln Park unanimously adopted an ordinance adding a new municipal offense labeled “disruptive behavior,” letting prosecutors convert some first-time disturbance charges to civil infractions with fines not to exceed $500.

Mayor Maureen Tobin read the ordinance on the council floor and City Attorney Zelnick told the council the change was intended to reduce the long-term consequences of minor disturbances. “This decriminalizes to some extent some disturbing the peace offenses, which were once misdemeanors,” Zelnick said, adding that prosecutors would have discretion to amend qualifying first offenses to a civil infraction so the conduct “doesn't go on their permanent record.” (City Attorney Zelnick, SEG 449-456.)

The ordinance text that Mayor Tobin read creates section 666.10 (labeled in the reading as “disruptive behavior”) and describes conduct that “causes a disruption to the good order, health, safety, welfare, or peace of the public” but that the police determine “not to be criminal in nature.” The measure sets a maximum fine of $500 plus court costs for a municipal civil infraction.

Councilmembers moved and supported the item and the clerk recorded a roll-call vote recorded as “yes” from Nichols, Ross, Salcedo, Zohr and Mayor Tobin. The ordinance was presented as a first and second reading and was adopted on the floor.

Why it matters: Council and the city attorney framed the change as a tool to avoid saddling residents with permanent criminal records for lower-level disturbances and to allow prosecutors to use civil penalties instead of misdemeanor charges in appropriate cases.

Next steps: The ordinance will be codified within the city's Part 6 code chapter as read on the council floor; the clerk indicated the chapter and section as part of the official reading during the meeting.