A police officer upon finding or having attention called to any minor on the streets in prima facie violation of this chapter, normally shall take the minor to the Police Station where a parent shall immediately be notified to come for such minor, whereupon they shall be interrogated. This is intended to permit ascertainment, under constitutional safeguards, of relevant facts, and to centralize responsibility in the officer there and then on duty for accurate, effective, fair, impartial and uniform enforcement, and recording, thus making available experienced supervisory personnel, the best of facilities and access to information and records. In the absence of convincing evidence such as a birth certificate, a police officer on the street shall in the first instance use the best judgment in determining age.
(a) Police procedures shall constantly be refined in the light of experience and may provide, inter alia, that the police officer may deliver to a parent thereof a minor child under appropriate circumstances, for example, a minor of tender age near home whose identity and address may readily be ascertained or are known.
(b) In any event, such police officer shall, within eight hours, file a written report with the Chief of Police, or shall participate to the extent of the information for which he is responsible in the preparation of filing such report within eight hours.
(c) When a parent, immediately called, has come to take charge of the minor, and the appropriate information has been recorded, the minor shall be released to the custody of such parent. If the parent cannot be located, or fails to take charge of the minor, then the minor shall be released to the juvenile authorities, except to the extent that in accordance with police regulations, approved in advance by juvenile authorities, the minor may temporarily be entrusted to a relative, neighbor or other person who will on behalf of a parent assume responsibility of caring for the minor pending the availability or arrival of a parent.
(d) In the case of a first violation by a minor, the Chief of Police shall by certified mail, send to a parent a 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.
(Ord. 51-93. Passed 9-7-93.)