Original Article Gilbert police get more clout in ordinance Josh Kelley and Chris Ramirez The Arizona Republic Oct. 29, 2005 12:00 AM GILBERT - Gilbert police have more power to enforce orders and broader authority to detain and question people who act suspiciously, under a new town ordinance. It allows officers to use force to prevent residents from crossing crime-scene tape and disperse rowdy crowds of people creating a safety hazard. Until now, the town had no regulation to keep people from interfering with the work of an on-duty police officer. Without the ordinance, police can give an order to stay away or disperse, but they can't enforce the order, police Cmdr. Tim Dorn said. The key to the ordinance is that it requires officers to have a lawful reason, but no proof of a crime, to forcefully detain someone for questioning or mandate that a person evacuate an area, he said. "This is patterned after statutes in other communities all across the state," Dorn said. The ordinance, approved by the Town Council this week, goes into effect in late November. Gilbert resident Daryl Colvintold the council he was concerned the ordinance gave police too much power and was not convinced that it will make Gilbert safer. Violating the ordinance is considered a misdemeanor and punishable with a fine of up to $2,500 or a six-month jail term. "We will be careful not to abuse it because we know, like anything else, when those things get abused, you lose it," police Lt. Joe Ruet said. A version of this story appeared in the Gilbert Republic.