Towns extend curfews during Halloween week

By Stephanie Prokop, Staff Writer
While Halloween evokes thoughts of witches, goblins and children dressed up in playfully frightful costumes going from house to house for treats, local police departments know this time of year is also an invite for loitering and other mischievous activity.
    In order to put a lid on such behaviors, some towns have enacted a “Halloween Season Curfew” that puts a limit on the amount of time that persons age 18 or younger can be out.
    According to Richard Bendel, director of Public Safety in Mansfield Township, last year the township had a couple of large crowds gathering and a few fights, but no major incidents.
    “It was nothing big, but after Halloween, I went to the Township Committee, and asked them to look into putting forth a curfew for individuals under the age of 18,” he said.
    The Township Committee enacted the ordinance last year, and this is the first Halloween it will be enforced, he added.
    “We are going to amp up our patrol, and we’re going to actively enforce the ordinance,” he said.
    People under the age of 18 must be off the streets on Oct. 28, 29, and 30 between 8:30 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day.
    On Halloween, the curfew is from 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following day.
    If a juvenile is spotted out in public after the curfew, Mr. Bendel said that they will be transported to police headquarters and will be given a warning. In addition, their parents or guardians will be contacted to come pick them up.
    “Hopefully a warning is all that is needed,” he said.
    If the juvenile is picked up again for the same violation, he or she could face a fine up to $200 and may be required to perform community service.
    Fliers advertising the ordinance are posted at the township’s municipal building, as well as all of the schools within the district, added Mr. Bendel. A copy of the curfew ordinance also can be viewed on the Police Department Web site, www.mansfieldpd.org.
    Florence Township has a Halloween week curfew for persons under the age of 18 that begins on Monday, Oct. 27 and extends until Sunday, Nov. 2.
    Florence Township Police Chief Stephen Fazekas said Tuesday that the Halloween curfew is an extension of the township’s normal curfew, which is normally 10 p.m. on weeknights and 11 p.m. on weekend nights. The normal curfew is 9 p.m.
    This is not the first Halloween season for the ordinance, said Chief Fazekas, and added that it was something that the previous police chief had pushed to pass.
    He noted that there had been “general instances of heightened loitering.”
    Fliers are posted on township buildings and other businesses throughout the township, he added.
    Bordentown City also has a curfew of 9 p.m. on Thursday night and 11 p.m. on Friday night.