Benton Harbor City Commissioners are being asked to approve an ordinance prohibiting nuisance parties that lead to violence and disturbances of the public peace.

Following another weekend during which a roaming party led to a shooting, Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety Deputy Director Mike Clark addressed the city Legislative Committee Wednesday to request the new ordinance. He said police have dealt with mobile parties that gather outside liquor stores and gas stations, sometimes with the support of the businesses, that police will spend all night trying to track down and break up. They’ve led to shootings, officers being assaulted, and general unrest.

Clark said the department wants to define a nuisance party as one that includes unlawful disposal of trash, blocking of traffic, parking, loud noises, and endangerment of the public. He said this won’t affect all gatherings.

“But if the parties in the streets, or like the pictures show where we’re blocking traffic, we can then deem that a nuisance party,” Clark said. “But it’s not just going to be every party’s a nuisance party. If somebody is having something at their house and the neighbor calls and we go and they turn it off and they cooperate, that’s it.”

Clark said the department could declare a nuisance party in severe situations and issue citations to those in attendance, along with the owners of businesses allowing these gatherings to take place. There could also be misdemeanor charges.

City Commissioner Juanita Henry had concerns about young people getting criminal records.

“I would hate to be one of those young people that got caught up going to a party and just having fun and get arrested,” Henry said.

However, committee Chair Sharon Henderson said these gatherings have led to deaths.

“Some of these young people are making a conscious decision, putting everybody’s life at risk for their bad choices,” Henderson said. “We’re going to move this ordinance forward, and the commission is going to vote for it. The people in this community deserve better. They don’t deserve to be laying in their bed and a bullet comes through their wall, which has happened several times.”

Clark said some of the mobile party situations public safety has responded to have been “utter chaos” that bordered on civil unrest.

The committee moved the proposal forward, meaning the full city commission will consider it next.