With instances of Bills fans behaving badly and the sobering reality that venues like Ralph Wilson Stadium are targets for terrorism, the Town of Orchard Park is considering a major shakeup in security.
Orchard Park is considering giving police officers access to patrol private parking lots on game days and during other major stadium events.
If the new town code is passed, the change would affect homeowners who charge people to park on their lawns on game days.
Each season, homeowners must obtain a permit to charge fans to park, but if the town moves forward with this plan, homeowners would in a sense, be giving up their 4th Amendment right.
“This involves the waiving of a constitutional right,” said Councilman Michael Sherry. “Namely, protection against unreasonably search of their property.”
The town code, if passed, would not allow officers to search inside homes, just patrol the lawn parking lots.
There’s no exact timeline on when the council might vote on this, but they are hoping to make a decision by the start of the upcoming Bills season.
