Post Falls considers ordinance to protect snowplow drivers

POST FALLS — The City Council is considering an ordinance to protect city employees following threats made against snowplow drivers in 2022.

The proposed measure would allow the city to file misdemeanor charges against individuals for "harassment, abuse, or using or threatening to use violence, force or physical interference or obstacle."

At Tuesday's council meeting, Police Capt. Mark Brantl cited concerns about snowplow driver safety and obstruction.

"We've had incidents where they were threatened and we've actually had to follow the plows down the street to keep them safe," Brantl said.

According to Brantl, an ordinance would empower police "to actually charge that person with a misdemeanor for interfering with the lawful conduct of city employees plowing streets."

Under the proposed ordinance, charges could be filed if an individual sets out to "intentionally resist, delay, obstruct, interrupt, prevent or hinder the peaceful process of any governmental function or duty."

Some council members expressed concerns about the proposal's language. Councilor Samantha Steigleder questioned whether threats would be considered a prosecutable offense, while Councilor Randy Westlund worried the term "harassment" was too vague and could be used against peaceful protesters.

Legal counsel Field Herrington said the ordinance would provide better guidance than current law. When pressed for clarification, he explained it would grant more enforcement options than existing trespassing statutes.

The council tabled the discussion for further review of the language.

In a Thursday interview, Brantl elaborated on the incident that sparked the proposed ordinance.

"In 2022, we did have an incident where a resident attempted to assault a snowplow driver because of his displeasure with them. In that incident, the resident was charged with assault," he said.

Following that confrontation, police escorted snowplows through the neighborhood during the winter of 2022-23. While such escorts haven't been necessary since then, Brantl noted that resident frustrations over construction and traffic have intensified in recent years.