19
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ASE: 3
ISSUE BEFORE THE COURT
Does Anoka's "anti-cruising" ordinance violate a fundamental right to
intrastate travel? Is Anoka's "anti-cruising" ordinance unconstitutional?
THE FACTS
You Be the Judge!
You Be the Judge!
The right to travel
asserts that a citizen of
a state has the liberty
to travel, reside in, and/
or work in any part of
the state where one
pleases (with respect
for the rights of
others).
"Cruising" has been a part of our culture for decades and was
made famous by the 1973 movie "American Gra ti." For years, teen-
agers have been driving cars a er school and on weekends cruising on
city streets and meeting at various destinations.
On May 6, at approximately 9 pm, an o cer of the Anoka Police
Department selected a tra c control point within the city's "no
cruising zone" and began monitoring. About 30 minutes later, the
o cer observed a red Mercury operated by Jason Edward Stallman
drive past the tra c control point.
e o cer observed Stallman's vehicle travel past him four times
within approximately ten minutes. e police o cer stopped the
vehicle and Stallman was issued a misdemeanor citation for "cruising"
in violation of Anoka's "anti-cruising" ordinance. e Anoka City
Council passed the ordinance as a response to the increase in ghting,
underage drinking, vandalism, tra c violations, drug tra cking, and
tra c congestion around its main streets.
e police department argued that the tra c congestion created a
safety hazard. Emergency vehicles had had di culty getting through
the congestion, and had to use alternate, less direct routes to respond
to emergency calls, delaying their response time.
e Anoka Chief of Police stated that on a typical Saturday night
between 400 and 500 teenagers milled about provoking petty crimes,
such as ghts, tra c violations, underage drinking, and vandalism,
which escalated to more serious crimes, such as physical/sexual as-
saults and drug tra cking.
e ordinance stated:
1) "Cruising" means the operation of a motor vehicle, other
than commercial, emergency, or buses, driving past a "tra c
control point" three or more times, between the hours of 9 pm