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.