01-03-1995 - Ordinances for Adoption1 City of West Covina
Memorandum
TO: City Council AGENDA
j ITEM NO. C_6
FROM: City Manager's Office DATE 1/03/95
*PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER
SUBJECT: ORDINANCES FOR ADOPTION
SUMMARY: lAt'
the December 20, 1994 City Council meeting an ordinance was
introduced and is before the City Council for adoption.
RECOIVEMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City P g Council adopt the following ordinance:
�
ORDINANCE NO.�_
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST
COVINA, CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER 15, ARTICLE I, SECTION
15-18 TO THE WEST COVINA MUNICIPAL CODE PROVIDING FOR A
DAYTIME LOITERING FOR MINORS ORDINANCE.
dy
Administrative Analyst II
ORDINANCE NUMBER -
AN ORDINANCE OF:ss the complex problem and solution of juvenile
truancy and daytime loitering by students, the Police Department
introduces a municipal code ordinance to prohibit daytime loitering
during certain.hours of school days.
BACKGROUND: The West Covina Police Department and the three school
districts (West Covina Unified, Covina Valley Unified and Rowland
Unified) that serve the City are combining their resources to deal
with the rising' student truancy rate in the most effective ways.
In addition to the loss. of educational time, increased law
enforcement contacts with juveniles are directly related to the
truancy rate among students. Truants generally loiter about
businesses, including the local malls, and often discourage
legitimate customers from patronizing those merchants. Officers
often respond to calls of "ditch parties," where truant students
gather at.homes where parents are not present. Habitual truants
often encourage other students to indulge in negligent .and
irresponsible behavior.
The school districts conservatively estimate that a total of 75-100
students a•day are truant from school. The Department's response
when locating and identifying truants is to simply return the
students to the. schools. This type of enforcement effort often
leads to the student's suspension,- a. situation that enhances the..
problems of unsupervised youth. Law enforcement's options for
other resolutions to the truancy problems are limited. Officers do
not have the authority to detain the offenders. This system of
dealing with the truancy issue is without risk or legitimate .
consequence to the truant and their parents or guardians and
encourages continuing poor behavior.
The new Municipal Code Ordinance proposed here addresses juveniles,
ages.12-17 yearsTHE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST COVINA,
CALIFORNIA, ADDING CHAPTER 15, ARTICLE I, SECTION 15-18 TO THE WEST
COVINA MUNICIPAL; CODE PROVIDING FOR A DAYTIME LOITERING FOR MINORS
ORDINANCE.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of West Covina
believes that students between the ages of 12 and 18 must.
attend school to receive the necessary education, and
WHEREAS, students between the. ages of 12 and 18 are
required to attend classes between the hours of 8:30 a.m.
and 1:30 pm or during other hours as designated by the
respective'school district, and,
WHEREAS,, some students attend compulsory continuation or
independent studies education and should be involved in
those related activities between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
and,
WHEREAS, students who are truant during the school day
create a law enforcement problem while loitering in
public places or places where they are not under adult
supervision, and
WHEREAS,, such students who are truant realize no risk or
legitimate:consequence to their actions, and
WHEREAS, the school district suspension of such students
places those same students back on the streets, resulting
in additional law enforcement service costs
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF WEST'
COVINA DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 15-18 is hereby added to the West
Covina Municipal Code to read as follows:
Sectionj15-18. Daytime Loitering by Minors
(a) Iniaddition to the provisions of Section 15-8
of this Code and except as provided in subsection
(b) it is unlawful for any person, under the age of
eighteen, who is subject to compulsory education or
to compulsory continuation education to loiter,
idle, wander, or be in or upon the public streets,
highways, roads, alleys, parks, playgrounds, or
other public grounds, public places, public
buildings, places of amusement and eating places,
vacant lots or any unsupervised place without
during the hours -of 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. or
during other hours as designated by the respective.
school district on days when school is in session.
(b) The provisions of this section do not apply
when the minor is accompanied by his or her
parents, guardian or other adult person having the
care and custody of the minor, or when the minor is
on an emergency errand directed by his or her
parent or guardian or other adult person having the
care and custody of the minor or when the minor is
going or coming directly from or to their place or
gainful employment or to and from a medical.
appointment or students who have permission to
leave campus for lunch or school related activity
and have in their possession a valid, school
issued, off -campus permit.
SECTION 2. .This ordinance shall be effective thirty (30)
days from the date of adoption.
SECTION 3. The City Clerk shall certify'to the passage
and adoption of this ordinance and cause it to be
published in the manner prescribed by law.
PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS DAY OF ,1994.
MAYOR
ATTEST:
CITY CLERK
I HEREBY CERTIFY t t the foregoing Ordinance Number was
duly adopted by th ity Council of the City i West Covina at a
regular meeting, hereof held on the day of
1994 by the following vote of the Council:
AYES: Councilmembers
NOES: Councilmembers
ABSENT: Councilmembers
ABSTAIN: Councilmembers
CITY CLERK
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CITY ATTORNEY