Full Text
Salem Police Department 95 Margin Street Salem, MA 01970 May 6, 2006 Door-to-Door Canvassing and Soliciting Overview The City of Salem is allowed by law to regulate the practices and activities of persons wishing to conduct door-to-door canvassing and soliciting by requiring them to apply for a license, which will be granted or denied only after an investigation of the applicant’s background. The City of Salem and/or the City of Salem Police Department is NOT allowed to outright ban door-to-door canvassing and soliciting. The provisions of Salem City Ordinance Sections 28-91 through 28-100, inclusive, cover such solicitors. It should be noted that Section 28-26 defines the activity of Door-to-Door Canvassing and Soliciting to include traveling by automobile from place-to-place, street-to-street. Hence solicitors arriving in the City and selling goods from an automobile on street corners, parking lots, etc are required to obtain a license prior to conducting business. The following procedure shall be the preferred method of dealing with persons wishing to conduct door-to-door canvassing and soliciting in Salem: Providing the Application Packet Persons seeking a license by walking into the Police Department shall be provided the nine-page Application Packet that includes the application as well as a copy of the Salem City Ordinance pertaining to these matters. When an Officer responds to a complaint regarding solicitors, the Officer is to detail the circumstances and findings of his/her investigation to include identifying and documenting the person(s) with Master Name information, any vehicle used, and the company the person is employed by. If the person is self-employed the Officer is to note same. The Officer may then provide the person(s) with an Application Packet if they have any available with them or direct them to the Police Department to pick one up. ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Submittal of Application Packet Application Packets submitted to the Police Department are to be forwarded without delay to Det. Sgt. James A. Page for investigation. The date the Application is filed is to be duly noted on the Application. Investigation of Applicant An investigation into the applicant’s background is to be conducted in accordance with Section 28-93 of the City of Salem Ordinances. Approval of License Once a license has been approved the Investigator shall then issue the license as defined in Section 28-93(C) of the City of Salem Ordinances. Issuance of License The Investigator shall issue the physical license to the Applicant, obtaining a signed receipt for the License. The License is the property of the City of Salem, Massachusetts and is to be returned upon expiration, revocation or when the License holder is no longer conducting business in Salem. Expiration of License Licenses issued shall remain in force from the date of issue until the 31st day of December of the year in which the license issued, unless sooner revoked. Denial of License Should a license be denied the Investigator shall notify the Applicant in writing as to the reason(s) for the denial and the appeal options available to the Applicant. Records of Issued Licenses The Investigator shall maintain the records relating to License Applications and shall maintain a record book available to other Police Officers with copies of the issued licenses. All records are to be maintained for a minimum of 6 years. A binder will be established and maintained in the communications area for quick reference. Information regarding licenses will also be noted in the person’s Master Name record. ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Complaints Regarding Solicitors Officers should detail all complaints concerning solicitors, licensed or unlicensed, in a Salem Police Incident Report, using Action Code 951, “Solicitor” as at least one of the Action Code options.