City Expands Curfew Law for Juveniles

Once the school year starts, minors found loitering in public during school hours will be fined for violating Moorpark’s curfew law.

The City Council has voted to expand the city’s curfew, which runs from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Under the change, the curfew will also be in effect from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on weekdays during the school year.

Capt. Marty Rouse of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, which provides police service to Moorpark, said the change would fight two problems: school truancy and daytime crime.

About one-third of the burglaries in Moorpark occur during daylight hours, Rouse told the council members, and deputies believe many of the crimes are committed by juveniles.

Minors found violating the curfew will be ordered to appear in Simi Valley’s traffic court and fined. The fine is about $135 for the first offense. Those who fail to appear in court could lose their driver’s license.

“This forces chronic offenders to face the citation, because I don’t know any teenagers who don’t want to drive,” Rouse said.

Parents of repeat curfew violators may also be billed for the amount of time deputies spend dealing with those minors.

The expanded curfew ordinance also contains several exceptions to the new rules. For instance, minors whose jobs require them to be out in public during school hours will be exempt.