View
comments
Nevada, home to legalized gambling and even prostitution, is cracking down on whips after the Reno City Council banned the possession and use of the Western staple because too many 911 callers have mistaken its distinctive sound for gunfire.
Whips are a part of daily life in many rural areas where ranchers and livestock operators use the sharp 'crack' produced when the whip's tip breaks the speed of sound to scare and direct or herd animals.
Police recommended banning their use downtown because the sound resembles that of shots being fired from a firearm, Reno Police Chief Jason Soto said. He said they're also being used in public areas for fights and intimidation.
'We just realized it was a growing complaint we were getting. We started to see calls that were being escalated and becoming more violent,' Soto said earlier. 'There's a time and a place for a lot of different types of activities. I think being in the middle of a group of people is probably not the best time.'
The council in Reno, famed as the Biggest Little City in the World, voted 6-1 to approve the new ordinance two weeks ago on October 13th.
Carrying a whip in the city's downtown without government permission is now a misdemeanor
Reno, Nevada, has outlawed the use of whips in the downtown area since beginning of October after an increasing number of 911 calls by people mistaking the periodic snaps and cracks of whips for gunshots
