Full Notification

On July 2, 2009, in an effort to stem the growing tide of crimes committed by juveniles, the Hopewell Police Department conducted the first in a series of sweeps for juveniles in violation of the curfew ordinance. Five juveniles were contacted and returned to the custody of their parents. These sweeps will be held periodically throughout the summer and a zero tolerance approach will be held for those found in violation. The following is a copy of the City of Hopewell curfew ordinance:

Sec. 25-4. Curfew for certain minors.
(a) It shall be unlawful for any child sixteen (16) or seventeen (17) years of age to be upon the streets or in other public places of the city, between midnight and 6:00 a.m. of the following day, unless accompanied by a parent, guardian or some adult person lawfully in charge of such child.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any child under the age of sixteen (16) to be upon the streets or in other public places of the city, between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. of the following day, unless accompanied by a parent, guardian or some adult person lawfully in charge of such child.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any parent, guardian or other person having custody of a child seventeen (17) years of age or younger to allow such child to be upon the streets or in other public places in the city during the hours of curfew for said child, unless the child is accompanied by a parent, guardian or some adult person lawfully in charge of such child.
(d) It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any establishment, or any person who is an employee thereof, to knowingly permit, allow or encourage a child seventeen (17) years of age or younger to remain upon the premises of the establishment during curfew hours. It shall be a defense to prosecution under this subsection that the owner, operator, or employee of the establishment promptly notified the police that the child was present at the establishment and refused to leave.
(e) It shall be unlawful for the owner or operator of any motor vehicle to knowingly permit, allow or encourage a violation of this section.
(f) It shall be unlawful for any person to give a false name, address, or telephone number to any officer investigating a possible violation of this section.
(g) This section shall not be so construed as to prohibit children seventeen (17) years of age or younger from attending places of religious worship or meetings held by, or under the auspices of, the public schools, boy scouts, girl scouts, or other like organizations, unaccompanied by the parent, guardian or other adult person. Nor shall this section be construed as prohibiting a child seventeen (17) years of age or younger from occupying his or her place of employment, during and in the course of said employment.
(h) Any child seventeen (17) years of age or younger in violation of this section shall be taken into custody by any law enforcement officer of the city. As soon as practicable, the officer shall:
(1) Release the child to his or her parent(s) or guardian(s); or
(2) Place the child in a temporary care facility for a period not to exceed the remainder of the curfew hours, so that his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) may retrieve the child; or
(3) If the child refuses to give the officer his or her name and address, refuses to give the name and address of his or her parent(s) or guardian(s), or if no parent or guardian can be located prior to the end of the applicable curfew hours, or if located, no parent or guardian appears to accept custody of the child, the child may be taken to a judge or intake officer of the juvenile court to be dealt with in the manner and pursuant to such procedures as required by law.
(i) The parent(s) or guardian(s) of any child in violation of this section who is placed in a temporary care facility shall be responsible for the costs of such care.
(j) Any adult violating any provision of this section shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.
(k) Any violation of this section by a child seventeen (17) years of age or younger shall be disposed of as provided in Code of Virginia, § 16.1-278.4, as amended.
(Code 1963, § 26-8; Ord. No. 98-44, 12-8-98; Ord. No. 2007-11, 8-14-2007)