Residents of one Massachusetts town could soon be slapped with a 'swearing ticket' for uttering curse words in public, according to local reports.
Police Chief Bruce Gates told CBS News Boston that Middleborough has had enough of loud obscenities.
He's proposed a $20 ticket for audible vulgarity, but some town councilors argue that the penalty should be a much steeper, three figure fine.
"We have a lot more important things to do, but these are things that are quality of life issues, community policing issues that a lot of people don't want to see downtown," said Gates.
Middleborough has a longstanding but rarely-used vulgarity law in place already. If Gates' plan is approved at a town meeting in June, the law will be strictly enforced moving forward.
Other cities have proposed similar initiatives in the past.
In May of 2011, police in a UK town cracked down on profanity with an £80 cursing fine. Hundreds were ticketed that same month in Australia for using indecent language. They faced on-the-spot fines of up to $240.
Would you support an anti-swearing law in your town? Is there a need for one? Have you ever self-policed by keeping a swear jar?
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