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Tobacco restrictions, fingerprint measure pass at Brookline Town Meeting

Print | Comments (0) Posted by Tom Coakley November 16, 2011 02:24 PM

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By Andreae Downs, Globe Correspondent

Brookline Town Meeting Tuesday passed restrictions on the sale of tobacco and allowed the police to take and share fingerprints from certain license holders.

The new tobacco restrictions will ban sales in drug stores and other health care institutions as well as in any educational institutions. The bylaw passed unanimously.

The fingerprinting rule will allow police to check the FBI’s national databases when doing civil background checks on antiques dealers, those who sell liquor, taxi drivers, and ice cream truck vendors.

Opponents argued that the data could include arrests as well as convictions, that the collected fingerprints could be used in criminal investigations or shared with other government departments, such as immigration.

Police Chief Daniel O’Leary (cq) said his department would like to be able to prevent sex offenders from driving taxis in Brookline, and those convicted in other states of trafficking in stolen goods from opening second hand shops or used car dealerships in town.

The measure passed narrowly, by 106-97 (cq).