Trustees impose curfew

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Some people have left the township because of teen behavior.

By NANCY TULLIS

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

CANFIELD — A curfew for Canfield Township juveniles in now in effect after a unanimous vote by township trustees.

Trustees voted Monday to immediately impose a curfew of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday for all township residents under 18. During curfew hours, any residents under 18 not accompanied by adults are to be inside, trustees said.

Juveniles congregating in neighborhoods playing loud music was the least of the offenses related by some residents who attended the trustees' meeting. They asked for an earlier curfew Friday and Saturday nights, but trustees said they had to keep the hours the same as Canfield city's for enforcement to be effective.

Trustees said they already knew of the problems, so they were prepared with a resolution to enact the curfew.

Chairman Bill Reese said trustees sought counsel from county prosecutors to learn what legal action they could take.

Complaints

Some residents said juveniles gather in homes on their dead-end street, sometimes as many as 40 at a time, parking their cars all along the street and the cul-de-sac. They set up chairs in the street, and after dark they turn car headlights on.

Adults who complained said they have had no cooperation from adults responsible for the juveniles.

One woman said her friend plans to move because of the vulgar and threatening behavior of some juveniles, even in the daytime. She said the juveniles shout obscenities and threats, taunt neighbors with obscene gestures and park cars in front of mailboxes to prohibit residents from retrieving their mail. Some even lay down in neighbors' driveways just before the neighbors arrive home from work, then threaten and taunt them when they try to pull in, she said.

Some residents who spoke said they have worked with children and teenagers in the past and are not against them, but they have been putting up with the out-of-control juveniles in their neighborhood for about two years.

They said if the situation doesn't change, they will be forced to move out of the township as some others have.

Using the law

"We don't want this type of behavior in the township," Reese said. "We will step on this and step hard. We know the law and now [with the curfew] we will have some teeth to go with it. We will use the law to the fullest extent."

Reese urged residents to give trustees time to use the new law to take care of the problems.

Reese said according to the ordinance, adults having control or custody of juveniles are to enforce the curfew law. Exempt from curfew are emergency situations and juveniles accompanied by adults.

Reese said, however, that when organized events planned by schools, churches, lodges, etc. that would have juveniles out after curfew, adults in charge of the events must seek permission of the trustees for the juveniles involved to be outside during curfew hours.

In other business, the trustees set the next meeting for 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at the township hall. Trustees set the meeting a day later than usual because of conflicts with a seminar some trustees will attend.

tullis@vindy.com

Tuesday, September 12, 2006