This chapter shall be known as the "West Lampeter Township Curfew Ordinance."
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of West Lampeter, being cognizant
of the problem of juvenile delinquency and believing that it can be dealt
with more effectively by regulating the hours during which minors less than
18 years of age may remain in public places and certain establishments without
adult supervision, and by defining more clearly certain duties and responsibilities
upon those who have the custody and responsibility for the care of such minors,
directs that in the administration and enforcement of this chapter the fundamental
purpose of reducing juvenile delinquency shall be foremost.
In this chapter the following definitions shall apply:
AFTER HOURS
The period of time between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.
on Sunday through Thursday evenings and 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. on Friday
and Saturday evenings.
ESTABLISHMENT
Any privately owned place of business carried on for profit, any
place of amusement or entertainment to which the public is invited, and any
similar place.
MINOR
Any person less than 18 years of age. For the purpose of this chapter
any person shall be deemed to be 18 years of age on the date of his or her
18th birthday and not before this time.
OPERATOR
Any individual, firm, association, partnership, or corporation owning,
operating, managing, or conducting any establishment. Whenever used in any
clause prescribing penalty, the word "operator" shall include the members,
partners, officers, and managers of any firm, association, partnership, or
corporation.
PARENT
A parent; a guardian; or an adult person 21 years of age or over
responsible either temporarily or permanently for the custody or care of any
minor or for the control of such minor.
PUBLIC PLACE
Any public street, highway, road, alley, park, playground, vacant
lot, public building or ground, railway station, bus terminal or similar place.
REMAIN
Loiter, idle, wander, stroll, play, or be.
No minor 12 years of age or
older shall remain in or upon any public place or establishment in the Township
of West Lampeter after hours unless accompanied by a parent; or unless upon
an errand or other legitimate business directed by a parent, in which case
the minor shall carry written identification and dated evidence of such parental
direction, including a statement of the applicable date and time; or unless
engaged in gainful, lawful employment after hours, in which case the minor
shall carry written identification and dated evidence of such employment,
including a statement of the applicable date and time. Furthermore, no minor
or parent shall falsify such documents as mentioned above.
No operator of an establishment shall knowingly permit any minor to
remain upon the premises of such establishment after hours.
The Chief of Police is hereby authorized from time to time to promulgate
such rules and regulations, including the extension of hours for special occasions,
as in his opinion shall be necessary or useful in the enforcement of this
chapter. Such rules and regulations shall, however, be subject to the approval
of the Board of Supervisors of the Township of West Lampeter.
Each violation of the provisions of this chapter shall constitute a
separate offense.