The Village Board has passed an ordinance that, among other things, permits fines to be levied on parents who allow their children to join gangs or associate with “known” criminals.
The ordinance, passed unanimously Tuesday night, makes it illegal for youths under 18 to loiter. It also bans them from carrying any firearms, including BB guns or replicas, unless they are accompanied by a parent.
Violators can be fined $100 to $500.
Under a parental responsibility clause of the ordinance, parents can also be fined for allowing their children to belong to gangs or associate with “known thieves, burglars” or other criminals.
Those found guilty of violating that portion of the ordinance can be fined $25 for the first violation and $50 for the second. Further violations could result in a misdemeanor charge being filed by police.
In explaining why the action was taken, Trustee Jim McCollum said, “People who believe that gangs aren’t trying to get into their suburb because they are a nice little town have their heads buried in the sand.”
