CLEVELAND — Cleveland's juvenile curfew ordinance is drawing attention, as Councilman Mike Polensek has proposed legislation to amend the ordinance, increasing the penalties if the law is violated.
On Wednesday, Polensek proposed legislation to amend the ordinance, which was created in 2007.
Polensek told 3News the current law is not being enforced to its full extent.
In his proposal, a first-time violator would face a 4th degree misdemeanor and up to $250 in fines, as well as up to 30 days in jail. A second-time offender would face a 3rd degree misdemeanor and up to $500 in fines as well as up to 60 days in jail. Also, the parents or guardians of the juvenile would be required to perform community service if the fine is not able to be paid.
Polensek told 3News he wants parents to be more responsible for their children's actions.
Currently, these are the juvenile curfew ordinance guidelines:
- Ages 12 and under: Dark
- Ages 13-14: 9:30 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.
- Ages 15-16: 11:00 p.m. - 6:00 a.m.
- Age 17: 12:00 a.m. - 6:00 a.m.
3News reached out to Mayor Justin Bibb's office for comment on the proposed legislation and received this statement:
"We support efforts aimed at curbing the violence affecting our city, as evidenced by the Mayor’s RISE Initiative and other numerous new actions the Administration has taken towards improving public safety over the last 7 weeks. We will review these proposals to see if they will have similar intended effects."
The proposed legislation comes one week before the city's first-ever 'Public Safety Summit' which takes place Wednesday, August 23.
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