East Lansing Police Aim to Revamp Downtown Ordinances Amid Rising Concerns
Efforts to curb rising disturbances in East Lansing’s downtown are gaining momentum, with Police Chief Jen Brown set to propose new ordinances next month. The initiative aims to tackle issues that have led some to describe the area as increasingly unruly.
Key among the proposed changes is the reintroduction of a loitering ban, alongside permitting officers to stop vehicles with excessively loud exhausts—a measure previously removed from the city’s disorderly conduct ordinance in 2020. For more details, see the original ordinance discussion and its removal.
The Downtown Management Board has urged the City Council to reinstate the loitering ban, a move favored by business owners concerned about the area’s reputation. Residents have also raised alarms over noise pollution from vehicles in parking garages and on streets.
Previously, the City Council voted to prohibit pretextual traffic stops, including those based on loud exhausts, as part of efforts to counteract racial bias in policing.
The renewed push for ordinance changes comes amidst criticism of the police department’s handling of incidents in August, which have led to allegations of excessive force and misleading narratives. The city is currently facing lawsuits and has initiated an independent review of police procedures.
Despite facing calls to resign, Chief Brown is proceeding with the proposal. Meanwhile, the East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission has filed complaints against two officers, despite contrary advice from a city attorney.
Commission members who observed the downtown area over Halloween weekend reported no signs of the violence business owners and residents often cite. Michelle VanSumeren, a new downtown resident with a background in military and prison work, voiced her concerns: “It is a war zone downtown. It is unsafe downtown,” she said. “I would prefer to be in a maximum-security prison. I felt safer.”
Recently elected mayor Erik Altmann expressed worries over the city’s image: “I am concerned that East Lansing has become a place where people come to cause trouble. That’s a hard reputation to shake,” he remarked. “I’m not quite sure how it happened, but it looks to me like it’s happened, and we have to figure out how to break out of that.”
Other proposals in the ordinance package may include heightened surveillance through more cameras and lights, as well as bolstered police staffing. The East Lansing City Council is scheduled to discuss these recommendations at their meeting on December 9.
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