| For Immediate Release
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Susan Kang Schroeder Chief of Staff Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
LATE NIGHT CURFEW SWEEPS NET 15 JUVENILES IN NEW BUENA PARK LAW ENFORCEMENT GANG PREVENTION PROGRAM
BUENA PARK – Juveniles in violation of curfew laws were subject to late night sweeps last night aimed at enforcing curfew for minors in the City of Buena Park in an ongoing gang prevention effort. These curfew sweeps are the first to be conducted by the newly formed Buena Park Gang Reduction and Intervention Partnership (GRIP). GRIP identifies at-risk youth and aims to increase school attendance and decrease gang activity. GRIP committees now also operate in Anaheim, Orange, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, and Stanton.
Last night, April 28, 2010, a curfew enforcement team including members of the Buena Park Police Department (BPPD), Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA), Orange County Probation Department (OCPD), and Community Service Programs, Inc. (CSP), patrolled the City of Buena Park for children ages 17 and under out past 10:00 p.m. in violation of City curfew laws.
Minors are prohibited from being in public in the City of Buena Park between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. unless they are accompanied by a parent or guardian or are subject to circumstantial exceptions made for minors participating in employment, educational, or emergency activities.
The city-wide curfew sweep efforts focused mainly on neighborhoods and areas with a high volume of gang and/or criminal activity. The teams conducting the curfew sweeps found 15 juveniles, ranging in age from 13 to 17 years old, in violation of curfew ordinances. In addition to the curfew sweeps, the enforcement teams provided standard police patrol.
The 15 children found in violation of curfew laws were taken in the back of police cars to the BPPD station and held until their parents arrived to pick them up. Before releasing the juvenile to their parent, the juvenile and parent had to meet with representatives from the OCDA and OCPD to discuss the dangers and legal consequences for both the parent and child for violating curfew laws. These legal consequences could include misdemeanor criminal prosecution with penalties ranging from fines up to six months in jail for the parent or juvenile hall for the child, plus the associated financial costs.
Juveniles and parents also met with CSP representatives for references to resources such as parenting classes, substance abuse treatment and family therapy to help them with their children.
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