[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Wolcott 10-14-2014 by L.L. No.
1-2014. Amendments noted where applicable.
This chapter shall be known as the "Curfew Law of the Village
of Wolcott."
A.
Policy. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Village of
Wolcott to minimize nocturnal crime, juvenile delinquency and vandalism
and to prevent the damage and destruction of both public and private
property.
B.
Purpose. It is the purpose of this chapter to promote the health,
safety and general welfare of the residents of the Village and to
maintain rule and order by prescribing, in accordance with prevailing
community standards, regulations concerning the presence of minors,
on streets, roads, and highways, public parks or other public areas
of the Village at night to reduce juvenile crime and vandalism, to
protect the children and minors of the Village and to further family
responsibility.
C.
Findings. The Board of Trustees of the Village hereby finds that:
(1)
There has been a significant breakdown in the supervision normally
provided by certain parents and guidance for minors, resulting in
minors being involved in a wide range of unacceptable conduct, including
vandalism, noisy, rowdy and disturbing behavior; breaking and entering;
public drinking; littering; and harassment of Village residents, visitors
and tourists.
(2)
Significant numbers of minors have been congregating in the Village
after dark, causing disturbances to residents and property owners.
(3)
Offensive activities of minors are not easily controlled by existing
laws:
(4)
The sense of the community is that there is a proper time for the
cessation of outdoor activities of minors.
(5)
There is a need for a curfew for minors to achieve, under local conditions,
the policy and purpose herein stated.
(6)
Curfew regulations will meet special needs, will enable the community
to better control the streets and public places, will be a significant
factor in minimizing juvenile delinquency and will enable the police
to act reasonably and fairly to prevent the violations of laws by
minors.
(7)
The curfew hours declared by this chapter take into consideration
the danger hours for nocturnal crime and for accumulations of minors
with the potential risks incident to immaturity.
(8)
Curfew regulations in other communities have been a significant factor
in reducing juvenile delinquency.
(9)
Parental responsibility for the whereabouts and conduct of minors
should be the norm; as parental control increases, the likelihood
of juvenile delinquency decreases.
A.
KNOWINGLY
MINOR
PARENT
PUBLIC PLACE
REMAIN or LOITER
TIME OF NIGHT
YEARS OF AGE
As used in this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and
their derivations shall have the meanings indicated:
Includes knowledge of information which a parent should reasonably
be expected to have concerning the whereabouts of a minor in that
parent's legal custody. It is intended to include and require
neglectful or careless parents to maintain a reasonable community
standard of parental responsibility through an objective test. It
shall be no defense that a parent was indifferent to the activities,
conduct or whereabouts of such minor.
Any person under the age of 18 years of age or, in equivalent
phrasing sometimes employed herein, any person 17 or less years of
age.
Any person having legal custody of a minor as a natural or
adoptive parent, as a legal guardian, as a person who stands in loco
parentis or as a person to whom legal custody has been given by court
order.
Any place to which the public has access, whether privately
or publicly owned, including but not limited to public streets, roads,
thoroughfares, sidewalks, bridges, alleys, plazas, parks, recreation
or shopping areas, stores, cafes, restaurants, eating establishments,
public transportation facilities, vehicles used for public transportation,
parking lots or any other public building, structure or area.
To stay behind, to tarry or to stay in or upon a public place.
Based upon the prevailing standard of time, whether Eastern
standard time or Eastern daylight saving time, generally observed
at that hour by the public in the Village.
Continues from one birthday to, but not including, the day
of the next so that 17 or less years of age is equivalent to under
18 years of age.
B.
The word "shall" is mandatory; the word "may" is permissive. When
not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense
include the future; words in the plural number include the singular;
and words in the singular number include the plural.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for a minor
to be or loiter or remain in, on or upon a public place within the
Village between the following hours (also known as the "curfew hours"):
A minor in a public place during the curfew hours shall not
be considered in violation of this chapter under the following circumstances:
A.
When the minor is accompanied by a parent of such minor.
B.
When the minor is accompanied by an adult authorized by a parent
of such minor to take said parent's place in accompanying said
minor for a designated period of time and purpose within a specified
area.
C.
When the minor is exercising First Amendment rights protected by
the United States Constitution, °such as the free exercise of
religion, freedom of speech and the right to such exercise, provided
that the minor has in his possession a writing, signed by the minor
and, by a parent of the minor, with their home address and telephone
number, specifying when, where and in what manner the minor will be
in a public place during curfew hours in the exercise of a First Amendment
right specified in such writing.
D.
When the minor is, with parental consent, in or on a public place
in a case of reasonable necessity.
E.
When the minor is on the sidewalk or property where the minor resides
or on either side of or across the street from the place where the
minor resides and the adult owner or resident of that property has
given permission for the minor to be there.
F.
When the minor is, with parental consent, returning home from and
within one hour after the termination of a school or Village-sponsored
activity or an activity of a religious, voluntary, cultural or community
organization.
G.
When the minor is, with parental consent, in a motor vehicle engaged
in normal travel or when the minor is engaged in a bona fide interstate
travel beginning or ending in the Village.
H.
When the minor is engaged in or traveling to or from a place of employment.
I.
When the minor is engaged in an errand involving a medical emergency
or other emergency involving an immediate and significant threat to
life or property.
J.
When the minor is 17 years of age and has parental consent for the
use by such minor of generally designated public places for generally
designated periods of time.
K.
When the minor is authorized by a special permit from the Village
Board carried on the person of the minor thus authorized, as follows:
when necessary nighttime activities of a minor are inadequately provided
for by the provisions of this chapter, recourse may be had to the
Village Board for a special permit as circumstances warrant. Upon
the Village Board's finding of necessity for the use of a public
place or places, and with written parental consent, the Village Board
may grant a special permit, in writing, for use by such minor of a
specified public place or places, for specified periods of time as
in the Village Board's judgment may be necessary. Such special
permit may be revoked by the Village Board for good cause shown following
a hearing.
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for a parent
knowingly to permit or by inefficient control to allow a minor to
be or loiter or remain in, on or upon a public place in the Village
during curfew hours under circumstances not constituting an exception
to or an exemption from or otherwise beyond the scope of this chapter.
A.
If a police officer reasonably believes that a person is in a public
place in violation of this chapter, the officer. shall notify the
person of such violation and shall require the person to provide his
or her name, address, telephone number and how to contact his or her
parents. In determining the age of the person and in the absence of
convincing evidence, such as a birth certificate or driver's
license, the officer shall use his or her best judgment in determining
age.
B.
If the officer determines or has reason to believe that a person
is in violation of this chapter, he or she shall, if practicable,
take the person to police headquarters, where a parent shall be immediately
notified and required to report to police headquarters and procure
the person, whereupon the parent shall be questioned to ascertain,
within constitutional limits, the relevant facts.
C.
The officer shall file a written report.
D.
The officer shall issue an appearance ticket or tickets as the circumstances
require.
E.
The minor shall be released to the custody of a parent.
F.
If a parent cannot be located or fails to take charge of the minor,
the minor may be temporarily entrusted to a relative, neighbor or
other person who will assume responsibility of caring for the minor
pending availability of a parent.
H.
In the case of a first violation by a minor, the arresting officer
shall notify the Village Clerk who shall, by certified mail, return
receipt requested, send to a parent written notice of the violation
with a warning that any subsequent violation will result in full enforcement
of this chapter, including enforcement of parental responsibility
and of applicable penalties.
A.
Any minor under the age of 16 years of age violating the provisions of this chapter shall be dealt with in accordance with the procedures contained in § 88-7 herein and on each violation shall be treated as a first violator.
B.
Any minor between the ages of 16 and 18 years of age convicted for
violating any provision of this chapter shall be guilty of a violation
punishable by a fine of not more than $50 for the first conviction,
$100 for the second conviction and $250 thereafter or by a term of
imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or be required to perform community
service, or any combination thereof.
C.
Any parent convicted of violating any provision of this chapter shall
be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not more than $50
for the first conviction, $100 for the second conviction and $250
thereafter or by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or
be required to perform community service, or any combination thereof.
Notice of the existence of this chapter and of the curfew regulations
established by it shall be posted, from time to time, in, on or at
such public or quasi-public places, as may be determined by the Village
Board, in order that the public may be informed of the existence of
this chapter and its regulations.
