Police in an old Arizona mining town that gets 1 million tourists annually warn residents to stop yelling at visitors, or they could face harassment charges.
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Jerome, with a population of about 450, was once home to one of Arizona’s largest copper mines and is now an artist hub. Tourists take in its scenic views and visit stores and bars along the winding mountain road that passes through it.
But Jerome police said on Facebook this week that it “has come to our attention that some people visiting our town on short visits and using lawful short term parking passes are being yelled at or having notes left on their cars by local residents.”
And it warned: “Yelling at, or leaving notes could, in some cases, constitute harassment under Arizona Revised Statutes.”
Jerome is about 110 miles (177 kilometers) north of Phoenix and was designated a National Historic District in 1967.
Residents who think people may have violated parking regulations were asked to contact the police.
Allen L. Muma, the police chief, posted an update on July 15, writing, “[the] primary concern was that we not have a physical altercation over a simple parking issue. I say this because often, there seems to be a lack of respect for one another in society today, and that can lead to violence. Please understand that you never know the state of mind of the person you may confront. Leave the confrontations to the police, that is our job.
We have clearly posted signage advising visitors of places they are not to park, and we issue citations to violators. We ask that visitors understand that the residents who live here have a right to park where they live, so when they return home after getting off work, or return home with groceries, they have a place to park.
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Visitors, there is a large paved and patrolled free parking area just past the fire station with a shuttle that routinely provides transportation if you don’t want to walk the short walk to the main part of town.
Please, do not confront others over disputes you may have. Give the police department a call 24/7 at 928-634-2245 or if the situation is an emergency call 911. We ask everybody to work with us to get through these problems.”
