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Township of Lopatcong, NJ
Warren County
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[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Council of the Township of Lopatcong 12-28-2023 by Ord. No. 2023-24[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Ch. 97, Curfew, adopted 10-20-1976 as Ord. No. 280 (Ch. 50 of the 1974 Code of the Township of Lopatcong), as amended.
The following words, terms, and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except when the context clearly indicates a different meaning.
GUARDIAN
A person, other than a parent, to whom legal custody of the juvenile has been given or who is acting in the place of the parent or is responsible for the care and welfare of the juvenile.
JUVENILE
An individual who is under the age of 18 years.
PUBLIC PLACE
Any place to which the public has access, including but not limited to a public street, road, thoroughfare, sidewalk, bridge, alley, plaza, park, recreation or shopping area, public transportation facility, vehicle used for public transportation, parking lot or any other public building, structure or area.
No juvenile shall be upon or remain in any public place of the Township of the Lopatcong either on foot or in or upon any type of conveyance between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
The following shall constitute valid exceptions to the operation of this chapter:
A. 
When a juvenile is accompanied by a parent or guardian.
B. 
When a juvenile is on an errand or duty directed by his or her parent or guardian.
C. 
When a juvenile is engaged in an errand involving a medical emergency.
D. 
When a juvenile is returning home from and within one hour of the termination of a school extracurricular activity or a cultural, educational or social event sponsored by a religious or community-based organization.
E. 
When the juvenile is legally employed and is traveling to or returning home from the child's place of employment.
No parent or guardian of a juvenile shall allow or permit any juvenile to go or be in or upon any public place of the Township of Lopatcong between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., except as specified in § 97-3 of this chapter or unless reasonable necessity can be shown therefor.
The police of the Township of Lopatcong, upon finding a juvenile upon any public place of the Township of Lopatcong, in violation of any of the provisions of this chapter, between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. shall take the name of such child and the name and address of the parent or guardian, send such juvenile home, and make a report of the same to the Mayor within 24 hours. Whereupon the Township police shall send to said parent or guardian of the juvenile a written notice of the violation of this chapter together with notice to such parent or guardian that, unless the terms of this chapter are complied with, the penalty thereof will be invoked against such parent or guardian of the juvenile.
The Mayor shall have the authority, when he finds that the public safety, health, morals or welfare of the inhabitants of the Township of Lopatcong would be promoted, to issue a proclamation increasing the hours of such curfew and he may specify the period of time for which this proclamation shall remain in force.
A. 
In the case of a first violation by a juvenile, the Chief of Police shall cause 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, to be served upon the juvenile's parent or guardian, either by personal service or by certified mail. If, after the warning notice of a first violation by the juvenile, a parent or guardian violates this chapter in connection with a second violation by the juvenile, this shall be treated as a first offense by the parent.
B. 
Any person who violates this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof in a proceeding before a court of competent jurisdiction, be required to perform community service and may be subject to a fine of up to $1,000. If both a juvenile and the juvenile's parent or guardian violate this chapter, they shall be required to perform community service together.