[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee
of the Township of Woolwich 5-9-1997 by Ord. No. 97-15. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
[Amended 5-2-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-17]
A.Â
It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of
18 years, regardless of his place of residence, to ride, loiter, run
through, wander, stroll through or remain on or about any of the streets,
highways, roads, roadways, alleys, playgrounds, parks or other areas
or in other quasi-public place or any other place open to the public
in the Township of Woolwich after the hour of 10:00 p.m. prevailing
time, in the evening hours, and before 6:00 a.m. prevailing time,
unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or some other duly
authorized and accredited custodian of at least 21 years of age who
exercises such control over said minor with consent of parents or
legal guardian, either on foot or by any form of conveyance, except
as hereinafter provided.
[Amended 6-6-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-06]
B.Â
It shall further be unlawful for a juvenile of any
age under 18 years within the discretion of Woolwich Township to be
in any public place during the hours when the juvenile is required
to be in attendance at either a public or nonpublic school unless
the juvenile is accompanied by a parent or guardian or is carrying
written permission from the juvenile's educational authority allowing
the juvenile to be in a public place.
It shall be unlawful for any parent, legal guardian
or duly authorized and accredited custodian, as defined in this chapter,
having lawful custody of any minor under the age of 18 years to allow
or permit any such minor to ride, loiter, run through, wander, stroll
or remain on any of the streets, highways, roads, roadways, alleys,
parks or other areas or in any quasi-public place or any place open
to the public in the Township of Woolwich in violation of this chapter
except as hereinafter provided.
[Amended 6-6-2011 by Ord. No. 2011-06]
It shall be unlawful for the owner and/or operator of any quasi-public or other place open to the public within the Township of Woolwich to suffer or permit any minor under the age of 18 years to remain on or about such premises during such times that are in violation of § 79-1.
Any abuse of the purpose or spirit of this chapter
shall constitute a violation of the provisions of this chapter, punishable
as hereinafter provided. This section shall apply with respect to
all such violations of said purpose or spirit of any kind, whether
said violation is by parent or legal guardian and abusing the discretion
conferred upon them by this chapter or other persons having lawful
custody of the minor.
The provisions of this chapter shall not apply
to any minor child who shall be gainfully and lawfully employed, or
to any minor child who shall be a bona fide student of a school, college
or university of evening instruction, or to any child who shall be
in attendance at an evening function sponsored by religious or school
organization, or who shall be in attendance at a properly supervised
recreational program during the time necessarily required to travel
between such minor's residence and said place of assembly. In such
situations the minor shall take the safest and most direct route of
travel between said minor's residence and any of the aforesaid places.
Should any emergency arise necessitating a minor
under the age of 18 years being dispatched on an errand requiring
his presence upon any street, highway, road or roadway or other place
or area opened to the public during the hours to which the use thereof
by such unattended minor child is prohibited hereunder, such child
shall have in his or her possession a writing signed by a parent or
legal guardian or some duly authorized and accredited custodian of
at least 21 years of age, stating the nature of the errand, the necessity
thereof, the place or designation at which the mission is to be accomplished,
the time such message was executed and the approximate time required
for the errand. Any abuse of the purpose or spirit of this section
shall constitute a violation of the provisions of this chapter punishable
as hereinafter provided.
Every member of the Woolwich Township Police
Department, including special officers, are hereby authorized and
empowered to take the custody of any such minor who may be in the
act of violating the provisions of this chapter. Such officer shall
notify the parent or person having legal care and custody of such
child of the violation of this chapter and the penalty therefor of
a second or subsequent violation and shall report said violation to
the Chief of Police of the Township of Woolwich, who shall cause a
record thereof to be made. Said child shall be released immediately
into the custody of such parent or person having his or her legal
care or custody.
