On Feb. 4, the Warwick City Council will consider Councilman Jeremy Rix’s proposed ordinance on the rules and regulations pertaining to the feeding of wild animals in the city.

The proposed ordinance would allow Warwick police officers to enforce the existing state law, instead of the Department of Environmental Management’s environmental police. In addition, it prohibits the ground feeding of wild animals.

The proposal reads, “The feeding of wild animals, whether directly or indirectly, within the city limits is prohibited…Wild animals include, but are not limited to coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons, opossums, weasels, rodents and pigeons.”

Rix said that for many decades there were no serious issues with rodents, however, a few years ago, he started receiving an increase in reports about rats.

Rix said that since Mayor Joseph Solomon reintroduced the city’s rodent control policy, rat sightings have significantly declined. He wants to keep it that way.

“The proposed ordinance is about preventing problems. An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure,” Rix said. “We want to get back to the place we were a few years ago, when rats in the area were virtually unheard of. To do that, we need to respond to rodents, but prevent the spread by reducing their food sources.”

The ordinance would allow Warwick Police to enforce state law without the Department of Environmental Management getting involved. Currently, Warwick Police do not have the power to take action unless a city resident is feeding a wolf.

According to Rix, community police are much more equipped to mediate disputes between neighbors and resolve issues that are occurring in local communities.

“As our community police officers are trained in mediation, and day-in and day-out work with neighbors to resolve disputes, they would be best-suited to resolve these sorts of issues,” Rix said.

Rix explained that the ultimate goal of the ordinance is for people to be discouraged from providing a food source to rats, as well as allowing community police officers to mediate disputes without imposing any fines on city residents.

“While the community police officers do have the power as any other police officer does to issue fines, that’s not what their job is all about,” Rix said. “It’s about working out the problems and preventing issues, to prevent issues from getting bigger than they need to be.”

City Council President Steve Merolla said more and more council members have received complaints about rodents from their constituents. Merolla also believes that the community policing is very effective and allows the city to follow through on constituent’s complaints.

“Community policing has a component of discussion and compromise and follow through that individual police officers who may work a certain shift cannot follow through on,” Merolla said. “A community policing officer works really on issues that affect the quality of life. I think community policing would be very helpful because it would help to advise constituents as to what they can do.”

Merolla also believes that educating city residents about the trash and recycling programs would greatly help the situation.

However, some residents are opposed to the ordinance. Dolores Mackenzie said she is unsatisfied with the wording of the ordinance.

“The way it is worded, it says direct or indirect feeding of animals,” Mackenzie said. “There’s no indirect way of not feeding pigeons. Feed inside feeders will fall to the ground, there’s no way around that. They need to clarify they are talking about rats,” she said.

Rix said he is open to amending the ordinance and revising the language.