(MUNICIPALITY OF NORTH PERTH, ON) – On Monday August 08, 2016, around 1:30 a.m. Perth County Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) officers on patrol apprehended two young males who were riding their bicycles down the middle of Wallace Ave North in Listowel. The 13 and 14 year old boys were taken to the North Perth OPP Detachment in Listowel from where officers contacted their parents.
The two boys were handed over to their fathers who attended the detachment. Officers informed them that the Perth County OPP is just enforcing a provincial curfew.
This curfew states that 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., without an authorized responsible adult, will be picked up by police. The parent or guardian will then be contacted to retrieve the child.
This curfew legislation falls under the authority of the provincial Child and Family Services Act and has been effectively used by police to ensure children are not wandering around unsupervised during the night. The result of this enforcement is safety for children in our communities.
Parents are reminded, that the onus is on them to know where their children are at all times. If they are staying at a friend’s place, be sure this is communicated between parents.
“As in the case of these two boys, if it requires contacting the parents to attend 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”.
