ARTICLE III. - OFFENSES INVOLVING PUBLIC PEACE AND ORDER

Part of the Code of Ordinances of Central Falls, RI.

Local law · Updated December 8, 2025 · 1,477 sections

The text

DIVISION 1. - GENERALLY#

Sec. 26-84. - Disorderly conduct.#

(a)

No alcoholic beverage shall be consumed on city streets and sidewalks or within public parks and recreational facilities. It shall be unlawful for any person to possess, consume from and/or transport any open container containing alcoholic beverages on any public street, public sidewalk or public way.

(b)

Penalty. Any person violating this section shall be punished in accordance with section 1-12 with the first violation of this section being a fine of $50.00 and each and every offense thereafter being an increased fine of $50.00, up to a fine of no more than $500.00. A court of competent jurisdiction may refer a minor to the juvenile hearing board or, for any individual, may order up to 50 hours of community service instead of ordering a fine.

(Code 1973, § 18-10; Code 1994, § 26-2; Ord. of 9-14-2015(3), § 1)

State Law reference— Disorderly conduct, G.L. 1956, § 11-45-1.

Sec. 26-85. - Sleeping in public.#

(a)

There shall be no sleeping in any public area of the city at night, including parks, streets and automobiles parked in any public area, except those places which provide sleeping accommodations for transient visitors.

(b)

(Code 1973, § 18-18; Code 1994, § 26-5; Ord. of 9-14-2015(3), § 1)

Sec. 26-86. - Hate groups policy.#

(a)

[Definitions.]

Hate group means a group that advocates and practices hatred, hostility, or violence towards members of a race, ethnicity, nation, religion, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation and that is classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Violence is defined as the use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, physiological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation.

(b)

All actions by hate groups, including groups characterized as White Supremacists, Nazi Groups, Aryan Nations, the KKK and other such groups, are unlawful in the City of Central Falls and are hereby banned because they have a history of violence targeting individuals' race, religion and national origin. Their history of said violence, tied to their message, will incite panic and fear within the City of Central Falls.

(Ord. of 10-29-2020(1), § 5)

Secs. 26-87—26-113. - Reserved.#

DIVISION 2. - NOISE#

Footnotes:

--- (2) --- State Law reference— Unreasonable noise levels, G.L. 1956, § 11-45.1-1 et seq.

Sec. 26-114. - Penalty.#

The penalty for the first violation of this division shall be a fine of $100.00, a second violation of this division shall be a fine of $200.00 and a third and any subsequent violation shall be a fine of $500.00. Each fine shall be appealable to the municipal court.

(Code 1994, § 18-71; Ord. of 8-30-1993, § 6; Ord. of 1-11-1999; Ord. of 1-10-2005(1); Ord. of 11-9-2015(1))

Sec. 26-115. - Declaration of policy.#

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the city to prohibit unreasonable, excessive and annoying noise levels from all sources subject to its police power. The noise being generated may originate from radios, CD players, DVD players, tape players, televisions and other audio-producing equipment.

(Code 1994, § 18-67; Ord. of 8-30-1993, § 1; Ord. of 4-12-2004; Ord. of 11-9-2015(1))

Sec. 26-116. - Enforcement.#

The police chief or his designee shall train personnel in the proper use of sound level meters and criteria necessary for the enforcement of the provisions of this article.

(Code 1994, § 18-70; Ord. of 8-30-1993, § 5; Ord. of 11-9-2015)

Sec. 26-117. - Violations of acceptable noise levels.#

(a)

It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any equipment from which the sound created by this equipment is capable of penetrating a closed vehicle from 20 feet away from the locations at which the sound is being generated, or heard from 100 feet away by a person outside from which the sound is originating. This division shall include, but not be limited to, sound electronically generated by autos, trucks, scooters, motor homes, mobile homes, houses, apartment buildings, condominiums, commercial buildings, lawn maintenance equipment, or from any type of portable sound producing equipment that can be carried or placed outdoors which through its operation exceeds the provisions of this division.

(b)

All state and municipal vehicles shall be exempt from the provisions of this division, nor any person, firm, corporation or other legal entity which holds a valid state or municipal entertainment license to sponsor a parade, carnival or other similar special event.

(Code 1994, § 18-68; Ord. of 8-30-1993, § 2; Ord. of 4-12-2004; Ord. of 11-9-2015(1))

Sec. 26-118. - Stereos, radios, musical instruments and other noisemaking devices.#

(a)

It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate any stereo, radio, musical instrument or other noisemaking device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such a manner so as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of reasonable persons.

(b)

It shall be unlawful for any person to use or operate any stereo, radio, musical instrument or other noisemaking device for the producing or reproducing of sound within a motor vehicle in such a manner as to disturb the peace, quiet, and comfort of reasonable persons.

(c)

Any noise level exceeding the ambient base level, as defined in section 26-117 anywhere along the street property, or property lines of any property, or if in a condominium or apartment house with any adjoining apartment, by more than five decibels shall be deemed to be prima facie a violation of the provisions of this division. In the case of a motor vehicle, the noise level must exceed the ambient base level by more than five decibels at least three feet from the motor vehicle.

(Code 1994, § 18-69; Ord. of 8-30-1993, § 4; Ord. of 11-9-2015(1))

Sec. 26-119. - Public education.#

The police and fire departments shall conduct public education and post public signage to promote compliance with the provisions of this division.

(Ord. of 11-9-2015(1))