Q & A

* Fullerton community activist Robyn Nordell

Earlier this summer, when school superintendents and police chiefs in Orange County proposed a daytime curfew for youths as a deterrent to juvenile crime and school absenteeism, their expectation was that cities countywide would have such ordinances in place by the fall. But a growing number of residents and officials have spoken out against the plan, prompting several cities to delay action. Fullerton resident Robyn Nordell recently formed Citizens for Responsible and Constitutional Laws, a group opposing the curfew. She spoke with Times correspondent John Pope on the issue.

Q: Why did you get involved with this?

A: I spoke to a friend in San Diego last March, and she was telling me about a [proposed] daytime curfew ordinance down there. She sent me a copy, and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Their solution was so draconian, it would have limited all children’s freedoms. . . . When I heard that Orange County was looking at this, I knew somebody had to do something and start soon. It’s a freedom issue. It changes the nature of society if police can stop anyone and question them.

Q: What are some of your concerns?

A: This is a trend that’s sweeping the country, being brought into large cities and little towns alike. But not all cities have the same problems with juvenile crime, so I’m appalled that they’re all coming to the same conclusions. The biggest problem, though, is throwing the principle of presumption of innocence on its head. It used to be that minors wouldn’t be stopped unless there is reasonable suspicion to believe they’ve committed a crime. But this creates an artificial crime of loitering, where every child that’s out during school hours becomes a potential suspect. What a burden for a child to grow up with--that police have the right to stop and detain them. . . . It violates basic provisions of the U.S. Constitution. Another key point is that every weekday of the year there are thousands of minors in Orange County that are legally exempt from school. But if they’re out riding their bikes or playing in the park, they could be stopped. And then there’s the anxiety of “What if I don’t have the right papers?” Imagine how traumatic that is for students who thought they were law-abiding. If this passes in Fullerton, I’m going to be much more careful about having my kids outside, and that shouldn’t happen in a free society.

Q: What do you see happening if this is implemented countywide?

A: It is definitely going to strain relations between law-abiding families and police. Families that have been supportive of law enforcement may not feel as kindly, even though it’s not the fault of the police officers.