Dowagiac cracking down on curfew

Published 6:33 pm Thursday, May 18, 2006

By Staff
Not much in Dowagiac is open for business in the middle of the night, except maybe a few gas station and convenience stores.
So there is no good reason for kids to be out after curfew, according to city police.
Nothing good comes out of a young teenager being out at 2 or 3 a.m.
Police want to work with people in the community to solve the problem and make it a safer, better place to live.
Teen-agers congregating in the streets often become drawn into petty crimes such as destroying property and stealing from cars.
The influence of older teens is often a factor.
Dowagiac police encourage these older teens not to lead the younger ones astray.
To that end, any person of the age of 17 years or over assisting, aiding, abetting, allowing, permitting or encouraging any minor under the age of 17 years to violate curfew will be cited and issued a citation for aiding and abetting a curfew violation.
Dowagiac city ordinance states, “No minor under the age of 13 years shall loiter, idle or congregate in or on any public street, highway, alley or park between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian or some adult delegated by the parent or guardian to accompany the child.”
No minor under the age of 17 years shall loiter, idle or congregate in or on any public street, highway, alley or park between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m., immediately following except where the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian or some adult over the age of 21 years delegated by the parent or guardian to accompany the minor child or where the minor is upon errand or other legitimate business directed by his parent or guardian.
These curfews are appropriate and set reasonable limitations on the time children can be out, police say.
Parents are a vital part of the effort to keep the children and community safe.
Children who are out at night for a valid reason in the company of their parents or guardians will not be prosecuted for curfew violation.
Young people who are walking the streets after midnight without a parent will be cited and released to their parents until their court date.
The Police Department is willing to work with parents and kids to get things moving in the right direction.