Dearborn Reminds Residents of Solicitation Rules
The city of Dearborn says residents should be aware of important information regarding door-to-door solicitations.
If an individual comes to your door and asks for a contribution to support a political, religious or charitable cause, the individual must have displayed on his person an ID card issued by the Dearborn Police Department.
If an individual comes to your door to espouse his or her views regarding a political, religious or charitable cause but does not ask for a contribution, the individual does not have to have an ID or a permit issued by the City of Dearborn. Door-to-door proselytizing is protected speech under the First Amendment.
If an individual comes to your door to offer goods or services for sale (e.g., new windows, gutter cleaning), the individual must have a vendor’s license issued by the Dearborn City Clerk. This license must be produced upon request.
Door-to-door solicitation is permitted between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.
Individuals seeking contributions or attempting to sell goods or services are prohibited from approaching homes where a “no solicitation” sign appears on the door.
These signs are available at the Mayor’s Office at City Hall and online through the City website HERE. Check the link for Online Services & Publications and follow it to Homeowners.
Violation of these regulations is a misdemeanor; violators should be reported to the Dearborn Police Department at 313.943.2201.
As always, if a resident observes suspicious activity, the Dearborn Police Department should be contacted immediately by calling 911.
February 10th, 2012 at 11:57 am
Its all well and good to know that we have such ordinances, on the books however, when u call the Police Dept. they say they don’t have the manpower nor the time to check these types of complaints out. In essence the ordinances are useless without any eenforcement.
February 10th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
OK can this be made any more confusing…
If I am reading this article correctly, if a person comes to my door asking for contributions to religious, charitable or political causes, they need to DISPLAY their City ID card out in plain sight.
Now, if an individual steps up on my porch to sell me services or goods, I need to request it from them before I can see if they are legitemate.
Let’s make this simple people in City hall!!
Make BOTH situations display this ID on themselves so I, the inconveinienced homeowner who answered the door does not have to remember to ASK for it. Why is any responibility put on me. I just want privacy while at home!!
Where can I get the sign that says – “EVERYONE KKEP OF OF MY PORCH UNLESS YOU HAVE MAIL, NEWSPAPER OR A PARCEL DELIVERY FOR ME”
That’s the sign I want, not the ignored “No Soliciting” sign.
What has happened to private property rights??
February 10th, 2012 at 1:09 pm
Door to door solicitation is a joke!!! The City should discontinue giving permits for this crap. The famous guy selling CD’s came to my door the other day. I’m all for businesses trying to get more revenue, but I’m not in favor of the city clerk selling us out so that I’m bothered at my home. With all the crime going on in the neighborhoods, I don’t feel comfortable knowing that strangers can come up to knock on my door, and take notes when we don’t answer the door. I’m not suggesting these people are the criminals, but it doesn’t seem like the perfect scenario for someone to take notes on what is going on in the neighborhood. Not to mention, I’d be curious to know how many times the police are called out because of these door to door salespeople. Dearborn residents should encourage the council members to consider the practice of issuing these “permits”. Ultimately, shouldn’t it be a decision of the taxpayers of whether or not we want these people knocking on our doors.
February 10th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
I would love to have the sign that you suggested, because the one from the Whopper O’Reilly’s office is useless, just like him incidentally. There is nothing scaring off people from my front porch with that sign, and as far as calling the police thats almost as useless as the sign.
February 11th, 2012 at 3:38 am
Thay could send out ordinance officers who could write tickets but thay are to busy giving parking tickets to shoppers and harassing homeowner for grass and weeds being to high or puting our trash bins out early and leaving them out to long.
February 13th, 2012 at 4:45 pm
So, if the Rev. Terry Jones goes door-to-door in Dearborn, even if uninvited, his First Amendment rights will be protected and he won’t be arrested and hauled off to jail? Well, then, let him do that and let the other proselytizers do that and the city of Dearborn will save hundreds of thousands of dollars without offending anyone and without having to call out the police helicopters.