(A) Unlawful acts.
(1) It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of 17 years to loiter, idle, wander, stroll, play or be in, remain in, on or about any public street, highway, road, alley, park, playground or other public grounds, public places and public buildings or other unsupervised places in the township between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day, except that on Friday and Saturday nights such prohibition for persons 15 and 16 years of age shall be between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day.
(2) This section does not apply to a minor who is:
(a) Accompanied by the minor’s parent or guardian;
(b) On an errand at the direction of the minor’s parent or guardian, without any detour or stop;
(c) In a motor vehicle involved in interstate travel;
(d) Engaged in an employment activity, or going to or returning home from an employment activity, without any detour or stop;
(e) Involved in an emergency;
(f) On the sidewalk abutting the minor’s residence or abutting the residence of a next-door neighbor if the neighbor did not complain to the Police Department about the minor’s presence;
(g) Attending an official school, religious, or other recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by the township, a civic organization, or another similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor, or going to or returning home from, without any detour or stop, an official school, religious, or other recreational activity supervised by adults and sponsored by the township, a civic organization, or another similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor;
(h) Exercising First Amendment rights protected by the U.S. Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly; or
(i) Married or had been married or had disabilities of minority removed in accordance with state law.
(B) Parental responsibility.
(1) It shall be unlawful for any parent, guardian or other adult person having the care or custody of any minor under the age of 17 years to allow or permit any such minor to loiter, idle, wander, stroll, play, pleasure ride, park or be in or about any public street, highway, road, alley, park, playground, amusement or entertainment or other unsupervised places in the township contrary to the provisions of and within the time prohibited in division (A) above.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any parent, guardian or other adult person having the care or custody of any minor to refrain from being in, on or about the places set forth in division (A) hereof within the time prohibited contrary to the terms and provisions of this section.
(C) Aiding and abetting. It shall be unlawful for any person to assist, aid, abet or encourage any minor under the age of 17 years to violate any of the terms and provisions of this section.
(D) Actions by police officer. Before taking any enforcement action under this section, a police officer shall ask the apparent offender’s age and reason for being in the public place. The officer shall not issue a citation or make an arrest under this section unless the officer reasonably believes that an offense has occurred and that, based on any response and other circumstances, including any investigation that a reasonable person would deem necessary, none of the exceptions enumerated in this section apply.
(Ord. 175, passed 7-8-2002) Penalty, see § 131.99