City Of Crowley To Begin Enforcing “Saggy Pants” Ordinance

CROWLEY, La. (KPEL) -- Authorities in the city of Crowley will begin enforcing a new "saggy pants" ordinance that will charge violators with a misdemeanor for which a person could face a fine of up to $200, a prison term of sixty days, or both.

According to the ordinance,

It shall be unlawful for any person to wear outer clothing or garments, including but not limited to trousers, pants, shorts and/or other outer garments designed to be worn at or below the waist of the body and in such a manner as to expose a person’s underwear or undergarments in a public place or in public view.

City officials have said that "sagging pants" have become a "public nuisance."

American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana Executive Director Marjorie Esman said Thursday afternoon that she believes the ordinance is "misguided" and is "a total misuse of public resources."

"There's so much wrong with this that it's hard to know where to begin," Esman said. "There's a real danger of racial profiling...and so what this really looks like is that it's targeting a clothing style that's favored by young black men."