(PERTH COUNTY, ON) With the arrival of the warm weather, Perth County OPP officers have once again noticed an increase in damage to public and private property within the County and the communities they patrol. Police suspect that much of the senseless damage such as destroyed flowerbeds, uprooted trees and graffiti has been caused by children under the age of 16 who wander the streets and public places throughout the night.
The Perth County OPP are enforcing a provincial curfew in which children under the age of 16 that are found in a public place or in a place of public entertainment between midnight and 6 a.m. If children are located in these places without an authorized responsible adult they will be picked up by police and the parent of the child will then be contacted to retrieve him or her. “If this requires the parent to attend at the police station at 2 a.m. to pick up their child, so be it. As a parent they are responsible for supervision of their children†said Perth County OPP Const. Kees Wijnands
The curfew will be in effect throughout Perth County and the communities of St.Marys, Listowel, Mitchell and Milverton. This legislation falls under the authority of the provincial Child and Family Services Act.
“This legislation has been on the books and used by our officers for many years. I have just urged my officers to concentrate on enforcing it and to take advantage of the rules that are in place. The result will be safety for the children and the municipalities we police,†said Perth County Inspector Stephen Porter.
Major Jamie Hahn of St.Marys said “As Major of St.Marys I am very pleased to see the police utilize legislation which will help keep our town safer and put responsibility on the parents, where it ultimately belongsâ€.
Parents, the onus is on you to know where your children are at all times, and if they are staying at friends, be sure this is communicated between parents so you know this to be the case.