Sec. 14-170. Legislative findings

The County Council finds and declares that public nuisances exist in the County in the continuing and recurrent use of certain commercial and certain residential premises in violation of the laws relating to controlled dangerous substances, prostitution, human sex trafficking, human labor trafficking, criminal gangs, storage of weapons, stolen property, contraband or other evidence of criminal activity and other public nuisances and traditional criminal remedies do not always abate these types of activities at these locations.

The enforcement of abatement procedures and the penalties set forth in this Division constitute an additional method of law enforcement in response to the proliferation of the above-referenced public nuisances and are an exercise of the County's police power that is reasonable and necessary in order to protect the health, safety, and general welfare of the citizens of Prince George's County.