TIFFIN, Ohio — Tiffin police issued a verbal trespassing notice Monday to a man after a woman reported that he approached her near the former Big Lots property and made comments about her potentially “disappearing.”
The encounter later reached Tiffin City Council, where resident Kelly Digby asked city officials to consider strengthening local ordinances and council members discussed whether additional camping restrictions could address similar situations.
According to a Tiffin Police Department media summary, Digby contacted police at about 11:10 a.m. Monday after walking near the former Big Lots property on West Market Street.
The police summary says Digby reported that people had been sleeping in the parking lot and that a man in a black Dodge Durango with North Carolina plates approached her and asked whether she walked there every morning before making comments about her “disappearing.”
An officer was dispatched at 11:15 a.m. and arrived about 15 minutes later.
Police identified one man in connection with the call and issued him a verbal trespassing notice, telling him not to return to the former Big Lots or mall property, according to the department’s summary. The record does not list an arrest or criminal charge stemming from the encounter.
The police summary does not state who authorized the trespassing notice.
Resident takes concerns to council
Digby appeared before City Council Monday evening, describing the encounter in greater detail.
She said she and her husband routinely walk their dogs through the area and had begun noticing vans and other vehicles regularly parked there over the summer.
On Monday morning, Digby said, they passed a Dodge Durango when a man opened the door and asked whether they walked there every day.
“It’s good for people to know where you’re at in case you disappear,” Digby recalled the man telling them.
Digby said she responded that she hoped they did not disappear. She said the man then asked whether they knew about people pictured on milk cartons and remarked that “they never find those people.”
Digby said she and her husband went home and contacted police after speaking with their council representative.
The police department’s contemporaneous call record corroborates the central portions of Digby’s account, documenting her report that the man asked about her walking routine and made comments about her disappearing.
Digby told council she no longer felt safe walking in her neighborhood and asked officials to consider strengthening what she described as the city’s “vagrant” ordinances.
“I think as a taxpayer I deserve the number one spot in my city,” Digby said. “I deserve to feel safe. I deserve to be able to walk where I wanna walk.”
City points to limits on private property
City Administrator Nick Dutro said he had spoken with the police chief about the situation earlier Monday and questioned whether the incident exposed a gap in Tiffin’s existing ordinances.
Dutro said the city has more authority when someone is staying on public property than when someone is on privately owned land.
“If they’re allowed to be on that property, it’s not our right to tell them that they need to leave,” Dutro said.
He said that if a private property owner considers someone to be trespassing, police can act on that complaint. In Monday’s situation, Dutro said officers spoke with the individuals and instructed them to leave the property while also providing information about assistance programs and organizations that could help.
Digby had told council that an officer initially explained there was little police could do because the parking lot was private property and police had not received a complaint from its owner. The department’s media summary shows that officers ultimately issued one man a verbal trespassing notice and ordered him off the former Big Lots and mall property.
Camping rules could get another look
Dutro said the city has dealt with several situations involving people experiencing homelessness staying in city parks during the past year, including at least one person who had periodically lived in a tent in a park.
Tiffin’s existing park regulations prohibit camping in city parks except in connection with an organizational event authorized by the city. The ordinance defines camping to include using a sleeping bag, motor vehicle, trailer, tent, tarp or other means for temporary or permanent outdoor living.
Dutro said people found camping on public park property have been given information about organizations that could provide shelter, food or other assistance and have been directed to leave the park.
Councilmember Kevin Roessner pointed to camping ordinances adopted in Fostoria and asked whether Tiffin could put additional rules in place that might deter situations like the one Digby described.
Mayor Lee Wilkinson said the idea was worth exploring but said the city would need Law Director Zachary Fowler’s guidance on what could legally be done, particularly when private property is involved.
“I think it’s worth exploring, definitely,” Wilkinson said.
No legislation was introduced Monday and council took no formal action to change Tiffin’s camping or trespassing ordinances.
TIFFIN, Ohio — Tiffin police issued a verbal trespassing notice Monday to a man after a woman reported that he approached her near the former Big Lots property and made comments about her potentially "disappearing." The encounter later reached Tiffin City Council, where resident Kelly Digby asked city officials to consider strengthening local ordinances and council members discussed whether additional camping restrictions could address similar situations. According to a Tiffin Police Department media summary, Digby contacted police at about 11:10 a.m. Monday after walking near the former Big Lots property on West Market Street. The police summary says Digby reported that people had been sleeping in the parking lot and that a man in a black Dodge Durango with North Carolina plates approached her and asked whether she walked there every morning before making comments about her "disappearing." An officer was dispatched at 11:15 a.m. and arrived about 15 minutes later. Police identified one man in connection with the call and issued him a verbal trespassing notice, telling him not to return to the former Big Lots or mall property, according to the department's summary. The record does not list an arrest or criminal charge stemming from the encounter. The police summary does not state who authorized the trespassing notice. Resident takes concerns to council Digby appeared before City Council Monday evening, describing the encounter in greater detail. She said she and her husband routinely walk their dogs through the area and had begun noticing vans and other vehicles regularly parked there over the summer. On Monday morning, Digby said, they passed a Dodge Durango when a man opened the door and asked whether they walked there every day. "It's good for people to know where you're at in case you disappear," Digby recalled the man telling them. Digby said she responded that she hoped they did not disappear. She said the man then asked whether they knew about people pictured on milk cartons and remarked that "they never find those people." Digby said she and her husband went home and contacted police after speaking with their council representative. The police department's contemporaneous call record corroborates the central portions of Digby's account, documenting her report that the man asked about her walking routine and made comments about her disappearing. Digby told council she no longer felt safe walking in her neighborhood and asked officials to consider strengthening what she described as the city's "vagrant" ordinances. "I think as a taxpayer I deserve the number one spot in my city," Digby said. "I deserve to feel safe. I deserve to be able to walk where I wanna walk." City points to limits on private property City Administrator Nick Dutro said he had spoken with the police chief about the situation earlier Monday and questioned whether the incident exposed a gap in Tiffin's existing ordinances. Dutro said the city has more authority when someone is staying on public property than when someone is on privately owned land. "If they're allowed to be on that property, it's not our right to tell them that they need to leave," Dutro said. He said that if a private property owner considers someone to be trespassing, police can act on that complaint. In Monday's situation, Dutro said officers spoke with the individuals and instructed them to leave the property while also providing information about assistance programs and organizations that could help. Digby had told council that an officer initially explained there was little police could do because the parking lot was private property and police had not received a complaint from its owner. The department's media summary shows that officers ultimately issued one man a verbal trespassing notice and ordered him off the former Big Lots and mall property. Camping rules could get another look Dutro said the city has dealt with several situations involving people experiencing homelessness staying in city parks during the past year, including at least one person who had periodically lived in a tent in a park. Tiffin's existing park regulations prohibit camping in city parks except in connection with an organizational event authorized by the city. The ordinance defines camping to include using a sleeping bag, motor vehicle, trailer, tent, tarp or other means for temporary or permanent outdoor living. Dutro said people found camping on public park property have been given information about organizations that could provide shelter, food or other assistance and have been directed to leave the park. Councilmember Kevin Roessner pointed to camping ordinances adopted in Fostoria and asked whether Tiffin could put additional rules in place that might deter situations like the one Digby described. Mayor Lee Wilkinson said the idea was worth exploring but said the city would need Law Director Zachary Fowler's guidance on what could legally be done, particularly when private property is involved. "I think it's worth exploring, definitely," Wilkinson said. No legislation was introduced Monday and council took no formal action to change Tiffin's camping or trespassing ordinances.
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