South Sioux City, Nebraska

The South Sioux City Police Department does not distribute patches or other collectible items. We appreciate your interest, but the number of requests for patches and other other items far exceed our resources.

Yes you can. You can be sufficiently impaired even if your blood alcohol concentration is below the legal limit of intoxication. The blood alcohol concentration of BAC, is the amount of alcohol in the bloodstream. It is measured in percentages. For instance, having a BAC of 0.08 percent, which in most states is the legal limit of intoxication, means that a person has .8 parts alcohol per 1,000 parts of blood in their body. In a review of studies of alcohol related crashes, reaction time, concentration, visual functions and other psycho-motor skills were found to be moderately to severely impaired at 0.08 percent. In fact, many of these areas of performance were noticeable impaired at concentration levels of 0.02 percent, which is substantially lower than the legal standard of 0.08 percent. It might be interesting to note that approximately half of all traffic related injuries involve alcohol. About one third of fatally injured passengers and pedestrians have elevated blood alcohol levels. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate that about 30,000 unintentional injury deaths per year are directly attributable to alcohol along with 15,000 to 20,000 homicides and suicides. So don't think just because your blood alcohol level is below that of legal intoxication you will not be charged. If you are driving and sufficiently impaired, you'll be spending some time in our jail.

The curfew ordinance is in effect to give the police a tool to work with and prevent, or at least try to keep teens from getting too far into trouble. Most of the young people we contact after curfew are not out to purposely cause trouble, but as we all know, one bad apple can spoil the barrel. If your son just happens to be out with someone who for whatever the reason does something to get our attention, he would probably be a suspect as well and most certainly charged accordingly. Curfew laws are in place in most cities across the country because there are some young people who just refuse to act responsibly or refuse to accept the responsibility for their actions. Over the last 30 years, the overall crime rate has risen 432% with 12.8% of the violent crimes being committed by teenagers in the last ten. Also in the last ten years, there have been 1.5 million violent crimes committed against teens. That equates to teens being involved in about 25% of all reported violent crimes. Now if all the numbers don't happen to get your son's attention, have him consider this. There have been several assaults perpetrated by individuals with single digit IQs. These are the type of irresponsible people who care about nothing other than themselves. I would like to think your son will not fall into this category. But if it happens, and I am not too convincing now, I may get the opportunity to be later in person. Here are the curfew times you asked for. Ages 14 and under: 10 p.m. Ages 15 to 16: 11 p.m. Age 17: 12 a.m.

A vicious or dangerous dog is pretty clearly defined within the state statutes and city ordinances. A dangerous dog is defined as one that has, according to animal control records, killed or inflicted severe injury on a human being on public or private property; has killed a domestic animal without provocation while the dog was off the owner's property; or has been previously determined to be a potential danger by the animal control authority with the owner having received notice of such. The dog does not fit this definition if the injuries caused by the dog were not severe, or the damage was sustained by a person who, at the time was committing a willful trespass on the property of the owner of the dog, or may have been tormenting, abusing or assaulting the dog. All dogs must be restrained in a humane manner within the owner's property either by fence, kennel, or some type of chain or leash. Now all of this does not mean you cannot call and report a nuisance dog if you feel it necessary. Should that be the case, an officer or animal control will attempt to contact the owner to quiet the dog. The owner may also be subject to a citation and fine for disturbing the peace. If you have any questions regarding a neighboring dog, you may contact the police department and speak with an officer, or contact animal control through the police department during routine business hours.

To purchase a hand gun of any type, you have to apply for a permit. There is a five day waiting period while a background check is performed. This includes a criminal history and other necessary information that may be needed to either grant or deny the permit. The purchase permit, if granted, is just that, to purchase. As of this writing there are no laws in place allowing the carrying of a concealed weapon. Personally, I along with the majority of the officers do not believe carrying a hand gun, or any other deadly weapon for that matter, would be of any benefit to anyone in our community. There are some people that do not or will not accept the life or death responsibility that goes along with carrying this type of weapon. If you feel you need to carry something for personal protection, there are several alternatives. You can freely purchase several types of OC (pepper spray), CN or CS tear gas at most sporting goods stores. There are also other chemical weapons such as the Dye Witness type of tear gas. This type of chemical weapon not only utilized tear gas to immobilize an assailant, but also coats the skin with a long lasting green dye. The dye lasts for several days and cannot be washed off. This can be very helpful in aiding the police in identifying the suspect. There are also high voltage electric stun guns available that are very effective, but I would be cautious with these as you are required to be within touching distance of the assailant. Chemical weapons can be effective 8 to 10 feet away. Whatever the reason you have for carrying a weapon, I strongly suggest you consider the alternatives to any type of firearm. If you should happen to make a bad judgment call with a gun, you could be in for a lifetime of grief.

Yes the department does have a ride-along program. The program was developed with the idea that individuals interested in a career in law enforcement or police functions, could get first hand experience by riding with an officer. An application to ride is required, and can be picked up at the Law Enforcement Center. The application will be reviewed by the chief or operations officer for approval. When you are approved, you will be notified of the date you are to report. If you have a specific officer you would like to ride with, you may request him/her on the application. If not, you will be assigned to the officer by the shift commander for the time of day you will be riding. Any officer has the right to deny a rider or discontinue the ride should a problem occur. Participants must be at least 17 years of age with written approval form a parent for those under age. I strongly encourage anyone with an interest in law enforcement or the operations of the police department to check out the ride-along program. It could prove interesting to say the least.

Several things come to mind with the first being some citizen involvement. If you see a car parked in excess of the one hour permitted parking, and are willing to go to court to testify, contact the police department and wait for an officer to arrive. The officer may have you sign the citation along with him, or fill out a witness statement for the purpose of testifying to the judge as to the length of time the vehicle was parked. If that does not appeal to you, then contact the police department with a license number, location, and a description of the vehicle. The officer will then mark the vehicles tire and re-check it approximately one hour later. This is done so the officer can testify the vehicle was actually parked in violation of the parking limit.

The out of state license plate (OSP) problem we have, kind of falls in line with the old saying of the squeaky wheel getting the grease. A foreign plated car sitting in the neighborhood is quite visible; so naturally we receive a multitude of calls to take care of them. If the owners of these cars did not have the "I don't care" attitude, and would properly license them, then officers' could focus their attention on some of the other problems you ask about. Those people, who choose to live here and not license their cars in Nebraska, are taking money away from some very important programs, like highway maintenance and the public school system. We do still have gang and drug related problems that usually fall into the felony crime category. And because these are of a more critical nature people are not so wiling to get involved, and that can make an investigation more difficult not to mention time consuming. So we are back to asking for your help when it comes to illegal drugs or other serious crimes. The out of state license plates are a real problem to be sure. But when it comes to dealing with a drug pusher, rest assured that will definitely take priority.

If you are talking about the signs that are placed on city utility poles, the information you were given is correct. There are specific ordinances regarding the type and placement of signs. All signs erected for the purpose of indicating a rummage, garage or yard sale in residential areas, must be of certain size and form, and approved by the city building inspector. These signs may not be placed upon public property such as utility poles, or any public right-of-way. There are other types of signs that may be utilized in residential areas, such as those advertising the occupants of the residence, political signs, and signs for the sale, rental or lease of the property. So for those folks that feel the need to advertise their sales from a utility pole or any other public property, stop and think about it. How hard would it be for the sign to lead an officer back to your home to issue you a citation?

Yes, we are a litigious bunch, and it certainly seems to take very little these days to find yourself sitting in court. But the fact is when it comes to providing or rendering aid to an injured person at the scene of an accident, you are protected by what is called the Good Samaritan Act. This states "No person who renders emergency care at the scene of an accident or other emergency gratuitously, shall be held liable for any civil damages as a result of any act or omission by such person in rendering emergency care, or as a result of any act or failure to act to provide or arrange for medical treatment or care for the injured person". This pretty much covers you within the state, and most states have something similar. But if you do a lot of traveling, it might be a good idea to check other individual states to see how or if you are covered. One thing to keep in mind when stopping to render aid at the scene of an accident is to make sure it really is an accident. It is sad to think there are a few sick individuals who would use this type of scenario as a decoy for the purpose of robbing a concerned motorist. If something just doesn't look right, trust your instincts and continue on. You can then contact the nearest law enforcement agency to check it out. You don't have to compromise your safety and you have still provided assistance.

When you purchase a car or any type of motor vehicle for that matter from a private owner, you only need to carry a bill of sale or property transferred title to prove purchase date and ownership. In-transit decals are issued to a buyer who purchases a vehicle from a commercial lot, not from a private individual. In-transit decals cannot be transferred from the original purchaser. You were in violation by leaving the in-transit decal in the windows of your car. If you are the original buyer, both decals must remain visible in the front and back windows through the in-transit period.

Boating regulations are very similar to motor vehicle regulations as far as the type of equipment and the operation is concerned. All motorboats are required to carry a lantern or flashlight, a Coast Guard approved flotation device for every individual on board and a fire extinguisher. Every motorboat except competing racing boats must have the proper equipment to sufficiently muffle the noise of the exhaust in a reasonable manner. Reckless or negligent operation is prohibited the same as it would be in a car. And as far as alcohol goes, NO! No person shall be in actual physical control of any motorboat under propulsion upon the waters of this state while under the influence of alcohol. This includes boundary waters. And just in case you might think a game and parks officer is the only one who can enforce these regulations, think again. We randomly check boats coming into dock as do the Iowa authorities. And getting caught operating a motorboat while under the influence of alcohol will get you arrested, not to mention the loss of your operating privileges for a period of six months.

The law is indeed quite strict when it comes to alcohol related violations. The best way I can answer the part of your question that implies we look the other way is this. When an officer comes in contact with an alcohol impaired driver, that either by law or the officers interpretation is too intoxicated to drive, the driver, now considered a menace, is removed from the vehicle. The driver will be put through a series of field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test to determine the level of impairment. Depending on the results of these tests, the driver may or may not be placed under arrest and transported to the county jail for further testing. This may be done either in the form of another breath test, or depending on the driver's history, a blood test. If that test shows the drivers blood alcohol content to be in excess of 0.08, the driver will be incarcerated for a minimum of 8 hours. After that time, if the driver meets certain requirements, he or she will be allowed to bond out and will be required to return at a later date for a preliminary hearing. After this part of the process is completed, anything else that may take place is entirely out of the officer's control. Charges are sometimes manipulated or lessened in the form of plea agreements between the prosecuting and defense attorneys and may never even make it before a judge.

First you should check your fuses or breakers. If you have not found anything wrong call 494-7520.

We want to check this situation out. Please call 494-7520. If we are having a lightning storm or other sever weather conditions, the problem can be caused by outside sources. In this case you may wait until the next regular working day if the problem is not unsettling to you.

Contact an electrician. Your electrician will be able to inform you if added capacity is needed on your main electrical panel. If you need to increase your capacity on your main panel you will need to call the city at 494-7520.

Call 494-7520. Our city staff will be able to answer your questions.

Note the location of the problem, then call 494-7520.

There may be power lines buried under where you want to work. It is important that you contact the NEBRASKA ONE CALL before you dig. That number is 1-800-331-5666. It is also important to know where your utility easement is. If your building, fence or patio is located on top of any utility it may have to be moved. The utility companies need to be able to use this easement to repair their facilities. Please call 494-7520 at our Building Inspections Department. They will be able to inform you to where your easements are located. You will also need a permit to proceed. They are willing to assist you in any way they can.

Attempt to shut it off using your basement shut-off first. If that does not work, call the cities utilities office, and they will dispatch a city water employee to turn the water off from the street.

The city water department maintains the customer's water line from the shut-off in your yard, out to the water main in the street. The customer is required to maintain the water line from the shut-off in your yard, into your house. The city also maintains your water meter. All in-house shut-offs are the customers responsibility.

Contact the cities utility office and they will dispatch a water employee who will investigate the problem.

The city measures the hardness of the water in grains. The hardness of the cities water is 30 to 35 grains or 540 parts per million.

The city water department adds KMN04, Polymer, chlorine and fluoride. KMN04 is an oxidizer that eliminates iron and manganese. Polymer aids in dropping out larger particles from the water. Chlorine is a disinfectant which keeps the water safe to drink. Fluoride is maintained at a level recommended by the state at a level of .7 to 1.2 PPM (parts per million). It is used to aid in healthy bones and teeth for children.

The city water comes from wells that are located in various parts of the city. Wells pull the water from underground aquifers. From the wells, the water is sent to the water treatment plant to be treated. From the water treatment plant, it is sent to the cities water mains, and into your house.

The city of South Sioux City maintains 450 fire hydrants throughout the city.

There are 85 miles of water main throughout the city.

There is no natural content of lead from the cities water. Any lead in your water comes from pipes. Any pipes maintained by the city that contain lead are replaced.

It is possible for chlorine levels to become slightly higher than average, but more than likely results from chlorine levels being too low. Neither high nor low levels of chlorine are harmful to drink.

This type of odor in your water usually indicates a non-functioning heat element in your electric hot water heater

Some simple steps that you can take at home to conserve water are: Keep the parts in the water tank of your toilet well functioning so that your toilet does not leak. Keep outside faucets from leaking. Keep your sinks and shower faucets from leaking.

The city maintains a PSI range of 45 to 55 PSI (pounds per square inch.) If you feel your water pressure at home is less than normal, contact the cities utilities office, and they will dispatch a water department employee to investigate the problem.

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The city crews plow any amount of snow 2 inches or over.

The city has two street sweepers that are generally on two separate parts of town. They each start on one end of the town, and work their way to other. They sweep the streets during the spring, summer and fall seasons.

The city will replace any mailbox that is physically hit by a snowplow. The city does not replace mailboxes that are knocked over due to snow pushing them over.

The city street department has crews designated for pothole repairs. The crew goes from one end of town to the other, repairing any potholes. You can also contact the Public Works department and request to have a pothole fixed by city crews.

No, a General Contractor is not required to be licensed in order to work in South Sioux City.

Yes, unless the structure is manufactured as a car port and purchased through a dealer as such. If a permit is required, the carport must maintain the same setbacks as that of a garage.

The City of South Sioux City has adopted the 2006 International Building Code (IBC), 2006 International Plumbing Code, 2006 International Mechanical Code and the 2006 International Residential code. Please design your project using the 2006 codes.

30 pound snow load and 90 pound wind load.

Permit fees are calculated using the projects estimated building cost. The basic permit fee is calculated using the following table (please note that typically additional fees will apply to most projects for such things as electrical work, plumbing work etc.): Total Valuation* Fees $1.00 to $1,000.00 $10 $1,001.00 to $2,000.00 $10 for the first $1,000 plus $1 for each additional $100 to and including $2,000. $2,001.00 to $25,000.00 $20 for the first $2,000 plus $4 for each additional $1,000 to and including $25,000. $25,001.00 to $50,000.00 $112 for the first $25,000 plus $3 for each additional $1,000 to and including $50,000. $50,001.00 to $100,000.00 $187 for the first $50,000 plus $2 for each additional $1,000 to and including $100,000. $100,001.00 to $500,000.00 $287 for the first $100,000 plus $1.50 for each additional $1,000 to and including $500,000. $500,001.00 and up $887 for the first $500,000 plus $1 for each additional $1,000 to and thereof.

A permit does not need to be obtained to replace roofing shingles. However, if the sheathing is being repaired or replaced or if any other structural component of a roof is being repaired or replaced, a building permit would be required.

Building permits are considered to be public records and information regarding permits may be obtained by contacting the Inspection Services Department by calling (402) 494-7518.

It is the responsibility of the adjoining property owner, or occupant to mow and maintain their ½ of an unimproved alley. Unimproved alleys are those legally platted alleys that have not been paved or graveled.

Public nuisances, such as weeds, accumulation of junk or debris, dilapidated structures, graffiti vandalism and other such property maintenance issues may be reported to the Property Maintenance Inspector at (402) 494-7577 or clicking here

What can be done to get it cleaned up? Graffiti vandalism affects us all and is a detriment to our community. Statistically, the sooner graffiti is removed or covered up the less likely graffiti vandalism will occur at that same location. The City Council has made graffiti vandalism abatement a priority and has authorized city staff to assist property owners in the clean up process. Please contact the Property Maintenance Inspector at 402-494-7577 for more information about this program or to report graffiti vandalism.

Yes,a yard sale permit/registration is required and may be obtained, at no charge, through the Utility Department, Inspection Services Department or Police Department. No more than two yard sales may be held at the same location, for which a permit is issued, in a calendar year.

City staff cannot locate or identify where the lot line is between properties. The only way to locate a lot line is to have the property surveyed by a professional land surveyor.

No, there is no regulation on which side of the fence the posts are located. It is at the discretion of the property owner to decide.