$ 500 fine in Mesquite for violating underage curfew

Dallas – The Mesquite City Council voted unanimously on Sept. 7 to retain its youth curfew ordinance and uphold offenses for minors, parents and businesses with fines of up to $ 500 for one offense.

According to the ordinance, it is illegal for minors under 17 years of age to be in any public place or establishment from Sunday to Thursday from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m.

A minor under the age of 17, their parents or an establishment could face a fine of up to $ 500 for violating the curfew. Failure to comply with this order could represent a criminal record as it is considered a class C misdemeanor (misdemeanor).

Read also: 14-year-old student arrested for multiple threats to Mesquite schools

Since its establishment in 1994, the city council has reviewed and renewed the ordinance every three years.

“There is the possibility of punitive sanctions, but In general, what the officers do is take the minor home, deliver him to his parents and explain how the law works“Mesquite Acting Police Chief David Faaborg said at the town hall meeting.

Many neighboring cities adopted similar ordinances in the 1990s to combat juvenile delinquency. According to the ordinance, minors “lack maturity and experience” and “are particularly susceptible to participating in illicit and gang-related activities and / or being victims of older offenders.”

Faaborg said that so far in 2021, the Mesquite has issued 30 citations for curfew violations.

“That is usually because of a heinous rape or because they are engaging in inappropriate behavior,” Faaborg said. “Usually we look for opportunities to educate people rather than to enforce the ordinance. We just want to keep the kids safe. “

Mesquite resident Jonathan Shields spoke during the public hearing and asked the council if a minor could carry a work exemption document to show that they were traveling to or from their place of employment.

“I know a lot of families have teens who work,” Shields said. “I myself worked in retail for 20 years. And as a manager, I had 17-year-olds who worked for me. “

Faaborg responded by listing the defenses a minor could provide for violating curfew, including running an errand for a parent; traveling to or from work; be in an emergency; attending evening classes, going to a religious or other adult supervised recreational activity, or exercising your First Amendment rights to the Constitution.

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