It shall be unlawful for any person under the age of 18 years to be in any street or alley or other public place in the City between the hours of 12:00 midnight Saturday and 6:00 a.m. Sunday, or between the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on any other day of the week unless accompanied by or in the charge of a parent, guardian or other proper companion of the age of 21 years or more, or unless engaged in some occupation or business in which said child may lawfully engage under the statutes of this state.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
It shall be unlawful for any person having the legal care and custody of a child under the age of 18 years to knowingly allow or permit said child to go to or be in any public place, street or alley in the City in violation of the provisions of this article, except in the case of necessity.
Every member of the police force while on duty is hereby authorized to detain any minor wilfully violating the provisions of this article until the parent or guardian of the child shall take him into custody; but such officer shall immediately, upon taking custody of the child, communicate with the parent or guardian.
Every police officer shall report in writing every violation of this article to his superior officer and to the juvenile officer and shall cause a written notice to be served upon the parent, guardian or person in charge of each child found in violation hereof, setting forth the manner in which the child has been in violation, at the time said parent, guardian or person in charge of such child shall call for and take said child into his custody.
[Added at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
It is a defense to prosecution under this article that the minor was:
A. 
Accompanied by the minor's parent or guardian or other person in custody or control of the minor;
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 a government or governmental agency, 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 a government or governmental agency, a civic organization, or another similar entity that takes responsibility for the minor;
H. 
Exercising First Amendment rights protected by the United States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, and the right of assembly; or
I. 
Married or had been married or is an emancipated minor under the Emancipation of Minors Act (750 ILCS 30/1 et seq.).