(a) No parent having legal custody of a minor shall knowingly permit or by inefficient control allow such minor to be in our upon any public place under circumstances not constituting an exception to, or otherwise beyond the scope of this section. "Knowingly" includes knowledge that a parent should reasonably be expected to have concerning the whereabouts of a minor in that parent's legal custody. It is the intent of this section that parents be held to a reasonable community standard of parental responsibility. Therefore, it shall be no defense that a parent was completely indifferent to the activities or conduct or whereabouts of a minor.
(b) A police officer shall release any minor child found in violation of Section 511.02 or 511.04 to a parent, legal guardian, or a responsible adult selected by the parent or legal guardian. In the event that the child needs to be transported by the police officer to the location of release other than the Amherst Police Department, the parent or legal guardian shall be billed by the City of Amherst in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00). The designation of this location shall be made at the discretion of the police officer based on proximity of the destination and the other relevant factors, and subject to the need to respond to emergency or priority calls.
(c) It shall be an affirmative defense to this section that such parent has within thirty days preceding the alleged violation filed or caused to be filed a complaint against such minor under Ohio R.C. 2151.27.
(Ord. 06-80. Passed 12-11-06.)