Not much in Dowagiac is open for business in the middle of the night, except maybe a few gas stations and convenience stores. So there is no good reason for kids to be out after curfew.

Nothing good comes out of a young teenager being out at 2 or 3 a.m. Police want to work with the people in the community to solve the problem and make it a safer, better place to live.

Teen-agers congregating in the streets often become drawn into petty crimes such as destroying property and stealing from cars.

The influence of older teens is often a factor.

Dowagiac police encourage these older teens not to lead younger ones astray.

To that end, any person of the age of 17 years or over assisting, aiding, abetting, allowing, permitting or encouraging any minor under the age of 17 years to violate curfew will be cited and issued a citation for aiding and abetting a curfew violation.

City ordinance states, “No minor under the age of 13 years shall loiter, idle or congregate in or on any public street, highway, alley or park between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, or some adult delegated by the parent or guardian to accompany the child.

“No minor under the age of 17 years shall loiter, idle or congregate in or on any public street, highway, alley or park between the hours of 12 midnight and 6 a.m., immediately following except, where the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, or some adult over the age of 21 years, delegated by the parent or guardian to accompany the minor child, or where the minor is upon errand or other legitimate business directed by his parent or guardian.”

These curfews are appropriate and set reasonable limitations on the time children can be out.

Parents are a vital part of the effort to keep  children and the community safe.

Children who are out at night for a valid reason in the company of their parents or guardians will not be prosecuted for curfew violation.

The young people who are walking the streets after midnight without a parent will be cited and released to their parents until their court date.

The Police Department is willing to work with the parents and kids to get things moving in the right direction.