South Carolina Bureau
AIKEN --- The city of Aiken is considering a curfew for youngsters under 17.
The youth protection ordinance is in the planning stages, but the city's goals are to keep young people off the streets and maintain safety.
"In the evening, sometime we'll get calls of kids just hanging out in the street and not getting out of the way for cars," said Pete Frommer, director of Aiken Public Safety.
It's a problem in many other communities, and four -- Rock Hill, Lancaster, Mullins and Newberry -- have curfew ordinances.
"In our conversations with police administrators, we found the ordinances were adopted due to the same type of late night problems with youth as we experience in Aiken," Chief Frommer said in a memo to the city council. "All of the cities we spoke with have experienced positive results with less youth crime following the adoption of the ordinance."
Last summer Aiken public safety officers saw a noticeable increase in nighttime calls involving youth activities.
Officers in plainclothes and driving unmarked cars late at night made more than 650 criminal cases for weapons and drug possession, noise, alcohol violations, loud music and traffic offenses.
Officers also began escorting home youngsters who were hanging out late at night.
"When we took them back to the house, most of the parents had no knowledge that their kids were out of house," City Manager Roger LeDuc said. "They had either snuck out or said they were at a friend's house."
Although the officers would take the young people home, Mr. LeDuc said, no law says they can't be out walking the streets late at night.
Lt. Tim Pearson of the North Augusta Department of Public Safety said he sees youths out at night during the summer.
"When school's out, we see youths who have snuck out," he said, adding that when officers take the kids home the "parents are usually shocked."
Lt. Pearson said North Augusta does not have a curfew ordinance. but police officers patrol the streets trying to keep children safe and making sure they get home.
"Unfortunately, there's that criminal element out there and our youths get exposed to that, and it usually goes the wrong way," he said.
According to Aiken's proposed ordinance, the curfew would be in effect from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from midnight to 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday during the school year.
During the summer, the hours would be midnight to 5 a.m. all week.
"This is not to try to get them off the streets to arrest them and put them in jail, but to try to correct the problem because no good thing happens at two in the morning," Mr. LeDuc said.
The youth protection ordinance also would reinforce and promote parenting roles. A parent or guardian of a child who is considered a "chronic offender" could be ordered to take parenting classes.
The city manager said the ordinance could come before the council within the next 60 days.
Reach Michelle Guffey at (803) 648-1395, ext. 110, or michelle.guffey@augustachronicle.com.
EXCEPTIONS
1. A juvenile in the company of a parent or guardian.
2. A juvenile on an errand, at the direction of the juvenile's parent or guardian without any detour or stopping.
3. A juvenile in a properly registered and licensed motor vehicle involved in interstate travel.
4. A juvenile engaged in an employment activity, or going or returning home from an employment activity, without taking any detour or stopping.
5. A juvenile who is out because of a verifiable personal or family emergency.
6. Juveniles on their residential property or an adjoining neighbor's property, if the neighbor does not complain to the police department about juvenile's presence there.
7. A juvenile who is attending an official school, religious, or other recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by the city, a civic organization, a church, synagogue, temple or other entity that takes responsibility for the for the juvenile or a juvenile who is returning home from such activity without taking any detour or stopping.
8. A juvenile exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, or the right of assembly.
A MINOR suspended from school is not allowed to loiter, wander, stroll, play or be in or upon the public streets, highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds, or other public grounds, vacant lots, or any public place Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. during the months school is in session.
ENFORCEMENT
1. Juvenile offenders will be given a warning and transported to the police department, where a responsible adult will be contacted to retrieve the juvenile, or where convenient for the office and within the city limits, the juvenile may be transported to the residence of his or her parent or guardian.
2. A juvenile who is a chronic offender of the ordinance will be referred to the Department of Juvenile Justice.
3. If the juvenile is 10 years of age or younger, a copy of an incident report will be forwarded to the Department of Social Services.
A PARENT OF GUARDIAN of a chronic offender who is found guilty in municipal court of violating this article shall be subject to punishment as set forth in the city code section 1-13. The municipal court may require a specified number of hours of community service in lieu of a fine or imprisonment or order the parent or guardian to attend parenting or other educational classes.
Source: Aiken Public Safety
RESTRICTED HOURS CHANGE WITH SEASON
FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR, AUG. 20 THROUGH JUNE 4:
Sunday through Thursday, 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Friday through Saturday, midnight to 5 a.m.
FOR SUMMER BREAK, JUNE 5 THROUGH AUG. 20:
Monday through Sunday, midnight to 5 a.m.
