The municipal council of Châtelet has just adopted a new version of the General Police Regulations (GPR) of the City. This work is essential to adapt it to evolving legislation, in particular the “SAC law” (municipal administrative sanctions), to new realities and experiences on the ground.
The task was accomplished through meetings between the Aiseau-Presles/Châtelet/Farciennes police zone, the field agents, the Farciennes lawyer and the sanctioning official who gave his opinion, explains Aurelia Salamone, official of prevention. Three years were necessary for the completion of the new RGP, the Covid-19 having slowed down the procedure. On arrival, there are a series of clarifications and new regulatory provisions that can closely affect the citizens of the Châtelettains. Sometimes seemingly anecdotal, they are not to be neglected. This is the case for the detention of animals, apart from the famous authorization required since July 1.
“Collector bag” on oneself
Thus, if the owner of a dog must pick up his droppings, he must now, in urbanized areas, be able to present a “collector bag” when asked. It is also specified, in the new regulations, the places where the doggies cannot free themselves from a pressing need, such as facades, bases, sidewalks, lawns, public spaces. It is also confirmed that live animals cannot be sold on the markets of Châtelet, and that the muzzle of dangerous dogs must be placed in such a way as not to cause harm to others.
In the field of public cleanliness, the RGP incorporates Tibi’s novelties for waste collection: glass bubbles which replace selective collection, buried containers, the biodegradable green bag, the removal of bulky items using the Ressourcerie .
We also point out the details provided by the RGP for the felling of trees not listed as “remarkable”, hedges, for which the City requires authorization. Or even the pruning of plants overflowing onto the public highway extended to lighting and surveillance cameras, not just road signs. In another area, the house number will no longer be sufficient: a mailbox and a bell are required. And if, as everyone knows, clearing snow from the sidewalks is an obligation, the person who will fulfill it must be specified according to the type of dwelling (multi-unit building, for example) in order to avoid having to send the responsibility. Finally, when organizing public events in an enclosed and covered place, a declaration will be required 60 days beforehand.
The new RGP includes a chapter containing the sanctions and the updated procedures in the event of infringements, in particular the mixed infringements which can give rise to a prosecution by the public prosecutor. This is the case of insults to persons coming under the authority of the public force. A less cumbersome procedure than that provided for at the criminal level.
In the event of a violation found, the offender is liable, after warning, to a fine of up to €350, not without having been able to present his arguments beforehand.
