Curfew Measure OKd for Teens Under 18

Despite protests from impassioned teenagers, the Simi Valley City Council passed a curfew ordinance Monday that would forbid minors to stay on the streets past 10 p.m. without good reason.

Only Councilwoman Sandi Webb opposed the curfew in the 3-1 vote, saying, “It’s those [good] kids that are going to bear the brunt of this.” Councilwoman Barbara Williamson was absent.

But Councilman Paul Miller said the ordinance--which allows teens to be at movie theaters, plays or adult-supervised parties past curfew hours--is “quite workable.”

“The ordinance allows you a lot of freedom if your parents know where you are and what you are doing,” Miller told about two dozen teenagers and parents who spoke against the ordinance at a public hearing Monday night.

Before the vote, Simi Valley Youth Council member Butch Lyons said the measure would force children to stay inside one-third of the time. “I’d like to see all the documents that say all the gang crimes occur between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. in this, the safest city in America,” he said.

Youths coming home from work, running errands for their parents or taking part in school functions will be exempt, but all others under age 18 could be ticketed if they are caught outside between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m..

Under the proposed ordinance, parents could be charged for the cost of police work if their children are convicted of breaking curfew. Parents also could be fined up to $2,500 when their child violates curfew, fails to obey the orders of a police or probation officer or is taken into custody for such an offense.