City Policies

The Delaware City Police Department is a proactive, professional law enforcement agency dedicated to protecting the public. Through education, the department strives for voluntary compliance with City Ordinances and State Statues. The following is a list of those ordinances and laws that students most commonly need to know. For more information, contact the Delaware Police Department, 740-203-1111.

Parties

The Delaware Police Department sometimes receives complaints of loud parties in the campus area. Persons in control of any property hosting a party are responsible, per Delaware City Code (DCC) 509.10, for: "any loud noise or disturbance therein, drunkenness, drunken or rowdy behavior, or any immoral or indecent acts, or any noise offensive to good morals or tending to disturb the peace and quiet."

Criminal charges shall be filed upon a return to such property if police officers have warned residents previously.

Additionally, 529.02 DCC imposes strict liability upon the person in control of any property where they have allowed any person under the age of 21 years to enter or remain upon such property knowing that such other person is in possession with purpose to consume any intoxicating liquor or beer, or the offender is reckless in that regard. State laws also prohibit furnishing minors with alcoholic beverages can result in fines up to $1,000 and six months in prison.

Alcohol and Drugs

The Delaware Police Department will strictly enforce underage drinking, drug abuse, and alcohol violations. A person must be 21 years of age to knowingly purchase, attempt to purchase, order, pay for, share the cost of, or consume any intoxicating liquor or beer per 529.02 DCC and Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 4301.63.

Additionally, no person under age 21 shall recklessly consume or possess any beer or intoxicating liquor per 529.021 DCC and 4301.632 ORC.

Regardless of age, no person shall have in their possession an opened container of beer or intoxicating liquor while being in a public place (other than a liquor control permit premises) or while being in a stationary or moving motor vehicle on the street, highway or other public or private property open to the public for the purposes of vehicular travel or parking. Using false or fake identification to purchase beer or other alcoholic beverage can result in a fine of $1,000 and/or up to six months in prison.

Both the Delaware City code (DCC) and the Ohio Revised Code (ORC) prohibit drug abuse. Penalties vary depending on the substance and whether the person sold, possessed, manufactured, etc., the substance. The more severe penalties can result in the offender being sentenced to prison. Students should be aware that in addition to any other sanctions imposed, under 2925.14 ORC, the court shall suspend for not less than six months or more than five years the driver's or commercial driver's license or permit of any person who is convicted of or has pleaded guilty to a violation of possession of drug paraphernalia.