LAKEWOOD, Ohio – City Law Director Kevin Butler is asking council to repeal a nearly century-old ordinance that bars anyone "suspicious" from the city under threat of prosecution.



While the ordinance is serious, the law director and one member of council tried to introduce some levity into the discussion.

The ordinance, which Butler believes dates back to 1918, allows police to charge with a misdemeanor any individual who begs and "lives idly and without visible means of support." It also prohibits known pickpockets and swindlers, anyone who loiters around a house of prostitution, and any suspicious person who "cannot give a reasonable account of himself."

Butler told council the antiquated law is unconstitutionally vague and should have been repealed in the 1970s when courts ruled similar ordinances in other cities were unconstitutional. Lakewood has not charged anyone under the ordinance in years, probably decades, Butler said.

City Councilman Tom Bullock jokingly suggested the city dub the repeal "The Big Lebowski Equality Act," referring to a 1998 movie in which a character named Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski is a hippie living in Los Angeles with no visible means of support.

"The Dude would be safe under this proposed amendment," Bullock said.

Butler, in his letter asking for repeal of the old law, also injected some humor.

"No matter how we may appraise persons who live idly without visible means of support, loiterers around houses of prostitution, habitual disturbers of the peace, known pickpocketers, those who practice tricks with intent to swindle or, heaven forbid, persons who cannot give a reasonable account of themselves, which may occasionally describe your law director, we should repeal this ordinance," Butler wrote.

Butler decided it would be best to get the law off the books after a police officer brought it to his attention and questioned its constitutionality.

City Council President Mary Louise Madigan referred the matter to council's Rules and Ordinances Committee.