City of Peoria doing pretty good imitation of fascism
Oh, good God.
I read this, and I thought the Journal Star was getting its information from some raving, paranoid lunatic. But it’s apparently true: The Peoria Police Department is going around telling used book stores that they have to start keeping detailed records of all book transactions, which includes making photocopies of the drivers’ licenses of the people who sell them books.
I have now seen it all. I might as well just shut this blog down. It is impossible to parody Peoria any more. This city is a parody of itself.
Apparently, this law has been on the books for years in Peoria. Now all of the sudden, someone in city government — the police, the story says — decided to start enforcing it.
Folks, I an NOT one of the people who cry that the police ought to have better things to do with their time when they make arrests for minor crimes. After all, getting away with minor crimes leads people to think they can get away with more serious crimes. But for crying out loud people! Is THIS how the city wants to devote precious police manpower? Making sure they know who “sold” used copies of old paperback romances to the Book Rack? What’s the going price for one of those bad boys anyway? A buck? Two bucks? Is there an epidemic of book thievery going on? I kinda doubt it, considering all I ever seem to get in exchange for MY used books is store credit.
Is there no one in City Hall who has the slightest sense of history? Keeping a registry of what people are reading sounds like something they did in Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union. Fascism is supposed to be dead, although communism is thriving in out beloved sister city in Red China.
Is there no one — perhaps in the city’s legal department for example — who has the slightest grasp of the 1st amendment issues involved in this registry?
From a purely business standpoint, is there no one involved in the city’s economic development office who might stand up and say this is probably the biggest bundle of red tape the city has ever dumped on small businesses?
And frankly, anyone who could put this plan into motion without realizing there would be an outburst of incredulous outrage is someone who is probably just too plain dumb to hold a job with the city of Peoria. On second thought, it would take someone who works for the government to think was a good idea.
I would suggest that someone ought to be fired for this, but as last month’s botched snow removal proved, it is impossible to be so stupid and so incompetent that the City of Peoria will risk a lawsuit by firing your sorry ass.
Good grief.
I’ve never been happier to live in Pottstown.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Books are classified by the Sicherheitsdienst, I mean Department of Fatherland Security, as weapons of mass destruction.
Contact the Reichssicherheitshauptamt for further information.
Finally a way to sell my book and get it on a list!
After doing a bit of research, it appears that used book buyers (such as Second Hand Books) fall under the category of “Secondhand dealers”, according to Section 18-441 of the Peoria Municipal Code.
“As used in this section, a ’secondhand dealer’ is any person which operates a business … which derives more than 35 percent of its gross receipts from the sale … or trade of any goods, wares or merchandise which have previously been owned by a consumer, including but not limited to furniture, appliances, clothing, automobile accessories, books or metals, whether in bulk or manufactured state.”
According to Section 18-447, Record of purchases:
“Every licensee shall keep at the licensed location a register on multicopy forms provided by the superintendent of police in which shall be entered the following information: a succinct and accurate description of all property taken, purchased or received in the course of the business licensed under this article including any number or inscription that may be in or on such property; the full legal name of the person from whom the property is received including full first name and middle initial, if any; such person’s current residential address, date of birth and physical description; the amount given or loaned to such person and the terms thereof; the signature of the employee who received the property; and the signed statement of the person from whom the property was obtained that he is over 18 years of age and the legal owner of same clear of all attachments and with the legal right to sell. Entries made in the register shall be printed or typed and shall be legible. All entries shall be made immediately upon receipt or purchase of any property. The register shall be open to inspection by any person during normal hours of operation.”
It appears that this law has been on the books (no pun intended) since at least 1957, and has been modified only twice since then (in 1992, when the Hours of Operation section was modified to restrict secondhand dealers from purchasing items after 9pm or before 7am, and in 2001, when the minimum penalty was set at $100 for each offense).
The law does not state (as far as I can tell) that photocopies of the sellers’ drivers licenses are required to be taken, but it does say, in section 18-445, that buyers are not allowed to purchase any goods when the seller does not present two forms of identification, including at least one which contains, among other things, “a photograph or full physical description, and an identification number”. I suppose “identification number” is sufficiently vague that somebody could use, say, their Bradley school ID with their student number on it, or their Caterpillar ID badge with their badge number on it.
Why the crackdown? As a point of speculation, it may be that there have been recent burglaries where books were stolen, and the police want to see if the books have made their way to the used bookstores. When you get down to it, a used bookstore isn’t that much different from a pawn shop… there’s just a much smaller set of merchandise they buy and sell.
davidh
You know, this is the first I’ve heard of this. Rest assure, the rest of the force here in Peoria are more concerned with actually protecting the lives ands properties of it’s citizens than any publications which are protected under the first amendment. And fyi, the first homicide victim in Peoria may have been an “arms dealer”. Not entirely a victim. The second was. The 72 yr old female was truly a victim. The other 2 “victims” this year of shootings have apparently also developed infections as septic and may not make it also. Within 2 weeks, Peoria could have 4 homicides in the new year. Heck, Peoria needs new ballparks and museums, not cops , firefighters and paramedics!
Amen, Cop.
The amount of violent crime in this city is mind-boggling. And the focus is now on used book stores.
And our Chief of Police said the crime stats were misleading? (or something like that?)
Basic city services, not museums and ballparks……….
Hello !!!!!….. there is rash of break ins throughout the East and West Bluffs. Stuff is being stolen. Now… that stuff ends up someplace. I really find it hard to imagine that these thugs are using all that is stolen. It is getting sold someplace. Those some places are acting as fences which by intent or neglect is illegal.
Back in college it wasn’t unusual for CDs to be stolen. They were and easy $1-$3 a piece when sold to a used CD store. If there were no identifiable marks on the CDs, all the better. A handful of CDs would buy you a weekends weed.
Used books also make a great easy cash source. Who the heck follows up on used books?
A few years back in the late 90s, several bikes were stolen in broad daylight in the Uplands. They were actually pretty nice and easily recognized bicycles. Did anyone follow up to see if they were being sold off? Nope. Police didn’t waste the time for that. Guess what, the thugs knew it too. The thefts went on.
Bravo to the police for looking into the other end of the theft cycle. My guess is, there was a break in and some noticeable books were stolen. These books weren’t the sort a thug would have read. Police followed up. Maybe even found the ‘books’. The store clammed up or proved uncooperative. Had those records existed then maybe the bad guys would have been caught.
Really Bill… listen to yourself.
The resale value of romance novels is hardly an incentive for burglary. And college texts are not the regular merchandise of these book stores. It would make far more sense to enforce such laws at a college bookstore, though any I’ve been to check for a student ID before buying books back. The true racket there is the pitiful prices they pay students for their used books.
So, I suppose they’ve not heard of this newfangled “amazon.com” where they’d be far more likely to make a profit anyway. I suppose next they’ll require the post office to require identification to send media mail.
Who said it was romance novels that were involved? Not the original article.
Are they requiring the scrap dealers to do something along these lines as well? I would like to see the scrap yards take a picture and get an I.D. copy of everyone that sells them copper.
You wouldn’t sell stolen stuff directly on eBay or Amazon. That would be stupid. I realize there are some stupid thugs that do but a smart thief uses a fence or some other person to unload it. The whole point of a fence is to launder the hot item.
Let’s be honest, books are addictive.
Sure, it starts simple enough. Jane, Dick and Spot aren’t so harmful. Dr. Suess is good for a laugh.
But these are just gateway books to the hardcore books. Biographies, Historical novels, Sci-Fi, and mysteries are but a few examples of the types of books that siphon away money and time from our society. I know this pain, personally. Just last week I blew through a stack of Barnes & Noble gift cards. Sure, it may be a month before I am done with “Rocketman,” “1776,” “Black Kettle,” and “Devil in the White City,” but then where will I be when I close the back cover on the last of those? Right back where is tarted with NOTHING TO READ. The next thing you know, I will browsing Amazon.com. It is a cycle that is hard to break. I’ve tried – most recently when I reached the end of Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin series a couple years back – and it is a painful experience.
At least the government is trying to intervene. We all need to make a stance against books!
“Just Say Nevermore!”
Aw yes. Yet another case of crying wolf about our civil liberties.
Guys, its a law. the police enforce laws. Don’t like the law, well now a city councilman is aware of the law and would seemingly now be resposible for having a revision of said law. Missed that part in the article. oh it wasn’t there, just the rant.
Nuisance ordinance, lousy law, solution, group of citizens brought back a better version from another state and have submitted it to the powers that be for reform. and yes there may need to be ranting and rally in the streets, but at least offer something up to resolve the problem.
Is this the same Michael Langley who tends to piss off some prominant Peorians on the west bluff that are involved in a law suit with the city?
I applaud the Peoria Police Dept for doing their job. They don’t make the laws, but they are certainly blamed when the laws don’t get enforced.
I would venture to guess that this might be related to the morons stealing copper pipes and copper gutters. This same paperwork requirement applies to “metals” and some soulless animal stole elaborate copper gutters off of St Mary’s Cathedral on 2 or 3 occassions. The scrap yards should be reporting to the police when they receive stolen property and the police should be able to check those records.
Mahkno, Paul, Tim Herold: “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety” — Benjamin Franklin.
Wasn’t it in NYC where they started cracking down on the small petty stuff and all of the sudden the big stuff started slowing down too?
“Little stuff?” Hardly how I would describe a massive new list of rules for one specific type of business that has the added charm of being a pretty good imitation of Stalin.
What books are on YOUR list Tony?
Like Dennis, I’m stunned anyone would even direct a cop to go in a used bookstore and tell them records like this must be kept. What a joke and terrible waste of taxpayer money.
Please, anyone, point to a rash of burglaries where some crackhead stole a bunch of books to re-sale at a used book store.
Hopefully, someone out there will find the real reason why this story surfaced.
And really, it would make more sense if this story was directed at those who sell used cds. When has anyone ever known a burglar to read?
And Tim’s right about the copper – right now if any business should being keeping track of anything, it should be the scrap yards that are buying scrap metal that could be coming from gas lines. When’s the last time you’ve heard that a bunch of books have caught fire and exploded knocking a house off its foundation?
Bill: “The constitution is not a suicide pact” – Abe
Its not a liberty issues Bill… it is basic record keeping. Even if there wasn’t an ordinance requiring it, it would be a sound practice.
Mahkno: If this was just a matter of “basic record keeping,” then these businesses would be doing it because it would be good for their business. I’m not aware of any business that requires me to give them my drivers license for photocopying.
This is Nazi Germany 1938. From registering books and sellers and buyers, we are creeping closer to Thought Police, and it’s NOT the fault of the police, but the corrupt and idiotic city government, who can’t even help the schools or clear snow from the roads.
I think what is confusing to me is that the “police department” is the identified “entity” to oversee this ordinance. I think most of us associate the police department with a crime of a more serious nature. I mean, what’s next….the police department will monitor landlord registration…or how about tax fraud? It just seems to me that this important department has enough to do without monitoring the record keeping practices of a used book store. Oh well…..guess I better find another hiding place for my money…..sigh
Though the police are my favorite authority figures, and this fascist mess is NOT their fault…
I’ve never been happier to be an Ethical Anarchist.
“It’s a law”… is no explanation or justification.
That’s what dictators say: “it’s the law” and the lemmings leap over the cliff.
Mahkno – “a great easy cash source”? When was the last time you tried to sell a load of books? 1930? Last time I sold a load of books, and I mean a big freakin’ box of them, to a used bookstore, I earned about $5. You’re lucky if you get 25-50 cents a book. And at a recent used book sale, I bought a whole shopping bag full of books for $3. Is weed that cheap in Peoria? Hot damn!
So unless the burglars are lifting rare, signed first editions of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (or some such, I’m not a collector) they’d have to be lifting several boxes full of books to get that weekends supply of weed.
I’m betting, literate or not, they’ll be grabbing the dvd players and x boxes first, leaving the books for some really dumb or extremely literate burglar.
Billy Dennis Says:
January 19th, 2007 at 9:45 am
Mahkno, Paul, Tim Herold: “Those who would give up Essential Liberty to purchase a little Temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety†— Benjamin Franklin
GET A LIFE!!!! The “Essential Liberty” you are giving up is “anonymously selling used books?”
cgiselle 12: If so, I’ve been getting ripped off.
This sucks, now that I cannot sell used books anonymously, I will start having to steal old ladies quilts and hawk them for tax write-offs at goodwill. I should have never gotten into the life of crime. Oh. big deal. Who cares-I feel for the store owners though, its going to be a pain for them…I would just carry on business as usual and pay the fine.
cgiselle12 you need to upgrade your reading material. I can easily get $3-$5 a book for a good number of what I own via eBay or Amazon but then I don’t buy trashy romance novels and other such pulp garbage. I have books that can fetch much more than that as well. They are not signed first editions either. Its been a few years since I have been in Peoria’s used book stores. When last I visited them I was not impressed.
Last autumn we had a garage sale and unloaded a large amount of books for $2-$10 each. The good stuff moves.
Bill,
unfortunately we have to give up freedom all the time, because some dipwad goes too far. As far as temporary safety, come take a hike in my hood, friday night on a summer evening and we’ll see what’ you’ll bargain for some temporary safety.
My original piont was that some laws are bad, some laws are passed with good purposes and have unintended consequences. Hence the ability to change laws and even amend the consititution. The business owner’s responsiblity is not to take it out on the cops who don’t make the laws, but must enforce them as written; rather speak to the lawmakers which in this case is the council and issue a legitimate complaint and if possible offer a solution. We then must hold our elected officials accountable to make the necessary changes. Was speaking to someone tonight about how we really expect so little from our officials as a whole and are somehow surprised when we recieve so little. This is not a life threatening problem although clearly an annoying one for the book store owners and seems to reasonable that a change could be made.
Did you see the headline, ” Recent rash of book thefts has city on toes, and citizens in fear.”? Me either. Mahkno cannot be so disconnected from society that he actually believes any criminals have an interest in capturing his esteemed book collection. Take off your smoking jacket and brandy snifter and come back to the real world for a sec. Next time you have a yard sale, maybe you should hire armed guards to protect your broken electronics and used books.
The fact that the powers that be are spending some of their valuable think tank time delving into such issues as stolen paperbacks is ridiculous.
I agree with Bill that this is beyond parody. The fact that some of you actually lend credence to this circus sideshow act by the city is equally humorous.
Vaspers is right on as well; “It’s a law” is not an adequate line of reasoning ; at least as far as free thinking society should accept.
“come back to the real world for a sec.”
You really think the bad guys only go for ‘expensive stuff’? Some do. I have experienced break ins before. Never lost any really expensive stuff. That would be too obvious. It was always little shit. The stuff no one pays much attention to. Indeed even the police officers were dismissive aside from the obvious damage to the doors. It was clear they were not going to follow up. I think the bad guys knew this too. Perhaps you are the one that needs to step out of the dark room.
Just so you know… I have had books stolen before, back in my college days. Even found the books. No one would do anything about it. Now if there had been a paper trail…..
Geez, someone stole my George Orwell 1984 book…Anyone seen it?
Interesting. A couple of decades ago, the Seattle City Council wanted to pass much the same second-hand dealer ordinance but was dissuaded by the complaints of book dealers. Had Peoria’s griped, this atrocity might not have happened.
UPDATE: In the end, though, the police backed down.