Police will enforce the curfew as part of their regular duties and make more serious crimes their higher priority, 10TV News reported.

Any children who are caught will be taken by police to the downtown YMCA and their parents would be called.

DISCUSS:  Columbus Curfew

"This is not meant to be punitive," Mayor Michael Coleman said.  "But it is meant to change conduct and to have a consequence."

The curfew goes into effect on the same day Columbus City Schools were dismissing for the summer. 

The enforcement continues through Aug. 24 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

According to the city's curfew policy, 13- to 17-year-olds must be indoors from midnight to 4:30 a.m.  Children under than 13 must be indoors by an hour after sundown until 4:30 a.m.

The only exceptions to the policy are when children are accompanied by a parent or guardian.  Anyone heading to work or heading home from work or a family emergency, or heading home from a late movie they saw with their parent's permission are not subject to the curfew.

After the first violation, children and parents will have to attend a three-hour lesson by the Safe and Drug-Free Schools Consortium. A second breach could require community service for the child. A third could bring misdemeanor charges against both kids and parents.

Coleman said he hopes to reduce fatal car crashes with the new curfew. He said more than 40 percent of teen deaths on the road happen between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Anyone reporting a child violating the curfew is asked to call 614-645-4545.

Stay with 10TV News and 10TV.com for continuing coverage.

Previous Stories:

May 20, 2008:  Council Approves Citywide Curfew
May 15, 2008:  Mayor Imposes Curfew For Teens

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