A Nov. 23 public hearing for a proposed amendment to Oxford Village’s curfew ordinance for minors drew comments, explanations, clarifications and a few suggestions.
Under the proposed ordinance amendment, minors under the age of 12 would not be allowed in or on any public place, street, highway, alley or park between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by a parent, guardian or some other delegated adult with written permission.
For those under age 16, the proposed curfew hours are 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
A curfew for those under 18 was previously included in the proposed language, but was deleted, according to Councilman Steve Allen, who drafted the proposed ordinance amendment.
Also eliminated was a provision prohibiting minors under 18 from congregating in groups larger than four.
‘It’s changed slightly from when you read it in the (news)paper,? Allen told the audience.
Punishment for violating the proposed curfew ordinance includes a $500 fine for the parent, guardian or person legally responsible for the offending minor and up to 200 hours of community service for the minor.
The councilman said the curfew is designed to help ‘restore some basic law and order,? not turn all juveniles into criminals or ‘bar juveniles from downtown Oxford.?
‘It’s meant for the habitual offenders,? he said. ‘The people who this will affect, they’re already criminals. They just haven’t been caught or prosecuted.?
Allen explained there’s been a ‘steady increase? in juvenile crime downtown, the incidents of which have at least doubled over the last two years.
Complaints of destruction of public and private property, foul language, rowdy behavior, rudeness to business employees and customers, underage alcohol consumption, drug-related problems, and non-customer juveniles loitering inside businesses prompted the proposed curfew ordinance amendment.
Oxford Police Sgt. Mike Solwold noted he’s encountered kids skateboarding on the roofs of the Starbucks building and industrial buildings along Glaspie St.
‘I’m embarassed to go downtown sometimes,? said Allen, noting residents complain the downtown has developed an ‘unsavory atmosphere in the evenings? because of some juveniles? inappropriate behavior. ‘Business owners find condoms, liquor bottles and drug paraphenalia in their bathrooms? wastebaskets.?
So far in 2004, the village police department has invested nearly 1,000 man-hours patrolling and responding to complaints in the downtown area on Friday and Saturday nights, according to Allen.
This extra police presence is posing an unfair burden to village taxpayers, he said.
Allen explained that tickets issued by the village police are not a ‘revenue stream? for the community as some people have asserted.
Last year, the village spent $18,000 more on prosecutions than it received from ticket proceeds, he said.
‘It’s not a fund-raiser,? Allen said.
Local property owner Chuck Schneider protested that the proposed ordinance only speaks to public property, not private property.
He used the Oxford Bank parking lot across from the movie theater and his own private parking lot in front of Harmon Glass/Fatty’s Pizza/Achatz Pies as other examples of where kids congregate and could congregate in greater numbers, if this ordinance applies strictly to public property.
In its current form, Schneider said the proposed ordinance merely ‘shifts the problem to somebody else.? He noted that the business owners who lease his buildings do nothing to stop misbehaving juveniles because they’re ‘afraid of retaliation.?
Schneider suggested that private property (in cases where the owner’s permission has not been given) be included in the ordinance. Council responded favorably to Schneider’s suggestion.
Cindy Trammel, who manages the Starbucks Coffee downtown, said the majority of teens who enter her establishment on Friday night aren’t there to purchase anything. She said they sit there, destroy property (such as punching holes in the bathroom walls) and steal items.
‘We’ve pleaded with them to act like young adults,? she said. ‘They have no respect for us . . . I have been there a whole year and they have not improved ? not at all.?
Trammel said she had to add extra staff on Friday nights in effort to try to control the situation. ‘Fifty kids will come in at one time,? she said.
Only one teenager attended the public hearing and spoke out against the proposed curfew.
Oxford High School sophomore Caitlin Schultz, 15, expressed her concern that younger teens wouldn’t be able to attend later movie showings with older teen friends without breaking curfew.
‘I’d just like to point out there aren’t a lot of things for kids to do in Oxford,? she said.
Police Chief Mike Neymanowski made it clear that the curfew is for kids ‘screwing up,? not those legitimately walking home from somewhere.
‘I think my officers use good discretion,? the chief said. ‘My officers know when young kids are out there screwing up. If it’s 11:15 p.m. and they’re out there acting like an idiot, yeah, they’re going to get busted for curfew. But if you’re legitimately on your way home or coming from a friend’s house, (the officer) will tell you to go straight home.?
‘We’re not out here to harass the kids that are honestly down here to socialize and have a good time downtown,? Neymanowski said.
Sgt. Solwold agreed. ‘I’m not out here to harass any child. I love these kids out here. I know most of these kids on a first name basis.?
Solwold said main concern driving this curfew ordinance is ‘safety.?
‘The whole objective is to get (kids) back home where it is safe, instead of them wandering around downtown,? he said. ‘We don’t want them to get hit in parking lots. We don’t want them to get hit crossing M-24. We don’t want them to get in trouble.?
‘If we’re going to have kids downtown, they need to act right and they need to be safe,? Solwold said.