[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village
of Massena 11-15-2022 by L.L. No. 7-2022.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This local law also superseded former Ch. 130,
Curfew, adopted 9-18-2012 by L.L.
No. 5-2012.
A.Â
Policy. It is hereby declared to be the policy of the Village of
Massena (the "Village") to minimize nocturnal crime, juvenile delinquency
and vandalism and to prevent the damage and destruction of both public
and private property.
B.Â
Purpose. It is the purpose of the Village to promote the health,
safety and general welfare of the residents of the Village and to
maintain rule and order by prescribing, in accordance with prevailing
community standards, regulations concerning the presence of minors
on streets, roads, highways, public parks or other public areas of
the Village at night; to reduce juvenile crime and vandalism; to protect
the children and minors of the Village; and to further parental responsibility.
C.Â
Findings. The Board of Trustees of the Village hereby finds that:
(1)Â
There has been a significant breakdown in the supervision, normally
provided by certain parents, and guidance of minors, resulting in
minors being involved in a wide range of unacceptable conduct, including
vandalism, noisy, rowdy and disturbing behavior, larcenies, and harassment
of Village residents.
(2)Â
Significant numbers of minors have been congregating in the Village
after dark, causing disturbances to residents.
(3)Â
Offensive activities of minors are not easily controlled by existing
laws.
(4)Â
The sense of the community is that there is a proper time for the
cessation of outdoor activities of minors.
(5)Â
There is a need for a curfew for minors to achieve, under local conditions,
the policy and purposes herein stated.
(6)Â
Curfew regulations will meet special needs, will enable the community
to better control streets and public places, will be a significant
factor in minimizing juvenile delinquency and will enable the police
to act reasonably and fairly to prevent the violation of laws by minors.
(7)Â
The curfew hours declared by this chapter take into consideration
the danger hours for nocturnal crime and for accumulations of minors
with the potential risks incident to immaturity.
(8)Â
Curfew regulations in other communities have been a significant factor
in reducing juvenile delinquency.
(9)Â
Parental responsibility for the whereabouts and conduct of minors
should be the norm; as parental control increases, the likelihood
of juvenile delinquency decreases.
A.Â
KNOWINGLY
MINOR
PARENT
PUBLIC PLACE
REMAIN or LOITER
TIME OF NIGHT
YEARS OF AGE
As used in this chapter, the following terms, phrases, words and
their derivations shall have the meanings indicated:
Includes knowledge of information which a parent should reasonably
be expected to have concerning the whereabouts of a minor in that
parent's legal custody. It is intended to include neglectful
or careless parents and require such neglectful or careless parents
to maintain a reasonable community standard of parental responsibility
through an objective test. It shall be no defense that a parent was
indifferent to the activities, conduct or whereabouts of such minor.
Any person under the age of 18 years of age or, in equivalent
phrasing sometimes employed herein, any person 15 or less years of
age.
Any person having legal custody of a minor as a natural or
adoptive parent, as a legal guardian, as a person who stands in loco
parentis or as a person to whom legal custody has been given by court
order.
Any place to which the public has access, whether privately
or publicly owned, including, but not limited to, public streets,
roads, thoroughfares, sidewalks, bridges, alleys, plazas, parks, recreation
or shopping areas, stores, cafes, restaurants, eating establishments,
public transportation facilities, vehicles used for public transportation,
parking lots or any other public building, structure or area.
To stay behind, to tarry or to stay in or upon a public place.
Based upon the prevailing standard of time, whether Eastern
standard time or Eastern daylight saving time, generally observed
at that hour by the public in the Town/Village.
Years of age continue from one birthday to, but not including,
the day of the next so that 15 or less years of age is equivalent
to under 18 years of age.
B.Â
The word "shall" is mandatory; the word "may" is permissive. When
not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense
include the future, words in the plural number include the singular
and words in the singular number include the plural.
A.Â
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for a minor
to be or loiter or remain in, on or upon a public place within the
Town/Village between the following hours (the "curfew hours"): beginning
at 10:00 p.m. and extending until 5:00 a.m. on the following day.
B.Â
It shall be unlawful for any minor to commit any act which would
be in violation of any New York State or local law.
A minor in a public or private place during the curfew hours
shall not be considered in violation of this chapter under the following
circumstances:
A.Â
When the minor is accompanied by a parent of such minor.
B.Â
When the minor is accompanied by an adult authorized by a parent
of such minor to take said parent's place in accompanying said
minor for a designated period of time and purpose within a specified
area.
C.Â
When the minor is exercising First Amendment rights protected by
the United States Constitution, such as the free exercise of religion,
freedom of speech and the right to such exercise, provided that the
minor has in his possession a writing, signed by the minor and by
a parent of the minor, with their home address and telephone number,
specifying when, where and in what manner the minor will be in a public
place during curfew hours in the exercise of a First Amendment right
specified in such writing.
D.Â
When the minor is, with parental consent, in or on a public place
in a case of reasonable necessity.
E.Â
When the minor is on the sidewalk or property where the minor resides
or on either side of or across the street from the place where the
minor resides and the adult owner or resident of that property has
given permission for the minor to be there.
F.Â
When the minor is, with parental consent, returning home from, and
within one hour after the termination of, a school or Village-sponsored
activity or an activity of a religious, voluntary, cultural or community
organization.
G.Â
When the minor is, with parental consent, in a motor vehicle engaged
in normal travel and when the minor is engaged in bona fide interstate
movements along major routes through the Town/Village or interstate
travel beginning or ending in the Town/Village.
H.Â
When the minor is engaged in, or traveling to or from a place of,
employment.
I.Â
When the minor is engaged on an errand involving a medical emergency
or other emergency involving an immediate and significant threat to
life or property.
J.Â
When the minor is authorized by a special events permit from the
Mayor carried on the person of the minor thus authorized, as follows:
(1)Â
When necessary nighttime activities of a minor are inadequately provided
for by the provisions of this chapter, recourse may be had to the
Mayor for a special permit as circumstances warrant.
(2)Â
Upon the Mayor's finding of necessity for the use of a public
place or places, and with written parental consent, the Mayor may
grant a special permit, in writing, for use of a specified public
place or places by such minor, for such specified periods of time
as in the Mayor's judgment may be necessary.
(3)Â
Such special permit may be revoked by the Mayor for good cause shown
following a hearing.
A.Â
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for a parent
knowingly to permit, or by inefficient control to allow a minor to
be or loiter or remain in or on or upon a public or private place
in the Village during curfew hours under circumstances not constituting
an exception to or an exemption from or otherwise beyond the scope
of this chapter.
B.Â
It shall be unlawful and a violation of this chapter for any parent
or legal guardian of a minor knowing or having reason to know or otherwise
consenting or permitting said minor to be in a public or private place
within the Village of Massena so as to allow or permit or provide
the minor with the opportunity to commit any violation of New York
State or local law. It shall be unlawful of any parent or guardian
to fail to exercise reasonable diligence in the care and control of
the activities of said minor.
A.Â
If a police officer reasonably believes that a person is in a public
or private place in violation of this chapter, the officer shall notify
the person of such violation and shall require the person to provide
his or her name, address, telephone number and how to contact his
or her parent. In determining the age of the person, and in the absence
of convincing evidence such as a birth certificate or driver's
license, the officer shall use his or her best judgment in determining
age.
B.Â
If the officer determines or has reason to believe that a person
is in violation of this chapter, he or she shall, if practicable,
take the person to police headquarters, where a parent shall be immediately
notified and required to report to police headquarters and procure
the person, whereupon the parent shall be questioned to ascertain,
within constitutional limits, the relevant facts.
C.Â
The officer shall file a written report.
D.Â
The officer shall issue an appearance ticket or tickets as the circumstances
require.
E.Â
The minor shall be released to the custody of a parent.
F.Â
If a parent cannot be located or fails to take charge of the minor,
the minor may temporarily be entrusted to a relative, neighbor or
other person who will assume the responsibility of caring for the
minor pending availability of a parent.
H.Â
In the case of a first violation by a minor, the Chief of Police
or designee shall, by certified mail, return receipt requested, send
to a parent written notice of the violation, with a warning that any
subsequent violation will result in full enforcement of the Curfew
and Juvenile Conduct Law, including enforcement of parental responsibility
and of applicable penalties.
A.Â
Any minor under the age of 18 years of age violating the provisions of this chapter shall be dealt with in accordance with the procedures contained in § 130-6 herein and on each violation shall be treated as a first violator.
B.Â
Any minor under the age of 18 years of age violating the provisions of this chapter as a second-time violator will be required to perform 20 hours of community service to be administered by the Village. In circumstances where community service is impractical, refused or not completed, the officer shall comply with § 130-7C.
C.Â
Any minor under the age of 18 years of age violating the provisions
of this chapter as a third-time violator shall be petitioned to Family
Court in accordance with the standards set forth by the St. Lawrence
County Probation Department and the St. Lawrence County Family Court.
D.Â
Any parent convicted of violating any provision of this chapter shall
be guilty of a violation punishable by a fine of not more than $50
for the first conviction, $100 for the second conviction and $250
thereafter or by a term of imprisonment not to exceed 15 days or shall
be required to perform community service, or any combination thereof.
Notice of the existence of this chapter and of the curfew regulations
established by it shall be posted, from time to time, in, on or at
such public or quasi-public places as may be determined by the Chief
of Police in order that the public may be informed of the existence
of this chapter and its regulations.