Keys left in the car? Ticket time in Othello

OTHELLO - Othello police wants city council to pass an ordinance

that allows them to ticket drivers who leave their car keys in an

unattended car.

Othello police proposed they be allowed to write a penalty

ticket no greater than $210 to drivers who left their unattended

car running; whether parked on a public street or private property,

stated Othello Police Chief Steve Dunnagan.

OTHELLO - Othello police wants city council to pass an ordinance that allows them to ticket drivers who leave their car keys in an unattended car.

Othello police proposed they be allowed to write a penalty ticket no greater than $210 to drivers who left their unattended car running; whether parked on a public street or private property, stated Othello Police Chief Steve Dunnagan.

This excluded a resident's garage and a secured backyard.

No action was taken by the city council.

The goal of the ordinance is to reduce the accessibility of vehicles that can be easily stolen, stated Dunnagan.

"Othello has a theft problem. In 2009, there were a total of 41 vehicles stolen from the residents of Othello. These vehicles represented $253,299 in property loss ... of the 41 stolen vehicles, 61 percent were stolen because the owner or other responsible party left the keys in the car," said Dunnagan.

Dunnagan said the ordinance would be a nice way to enforce an aggressive public education program, to begin in October, to educate the public about leaving their car keys in unattended vehicles.

"(Othello police) are planning to go door-to-door and explain some of the issues for the public. But I also want a enforcement tool and I think the ordinance will do that," said Dunnagan.

The last stolen car from Othello, according to Dunnagan, was found in Pasco. It was driven by four 14-year-old juveniles, two boys and two girls.

"We are not talking about sophisticated criminals here; most of these kids that steal cars are 14 years old or 15 years old. They are taking the car for a joy ride," said Dunnagan.

Council member Dewitt Dever said he understood the reason for the ordinance.

"If you leave a car sitting there, you may be responsible for creating an attractive nuisance," he said.

Dever suggested that the city council put the ordinance's effective date as January 1, 2011.

But several council members expressed concern over the proposed ordinance.

"I think this may be targeting the wrong crowd. I think the first step should be educating the public," said council member Kenneth Johnson.

Dunnagan countered this point by saying Othello's police department already had an education program in motion.

"We are investing about $80 per month on educational brochures placed in theaters," said Dunnagan.

Council member Charles Garcia said he thought the ordinance was a good idea, but didn't think that the ordinance should be passed so quickly.

"I think we should educate the public for a few months before we pass an ordinance. People may get confused (about) why they are getting a ticket after having their car stolen," said Garcia.