How De Pere Handles Curfew Laws: A Practical Guide
De Pere maintains 93 local ordinances across all categories, and 2 of those deal specifically with curfew laws. Here is a breakdown of what the city actually requires, what is prohibited, and where De Pere falls on the strict-to-permissive spectrum compared to other cities.
Park Curfew
All De Pere parks close to the public between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. under City Code Sec. 30-2(m), with narrower hours for Voyager Park (11 p.m.-4 a.m.) and dog parks (sunset-7 a.m.). Boat docking at city-owned landings is also barred during closed hours, and the community center's hours can be extended to 1:00 a.m. by written approval.
Key details: Standard park hours: Closed 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.. Voyager Park hours: Closed 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.. Dog park hours: Closed sunset to 7 a.m.. Community center extension: Up to 1 a.m. with written approval. Boat docking during closed hours: Prohibited except under Sec. 30-4.
Chapter 30 does not set its own dollar forfeiture for entering a closed park, so a violation falls under the Code's general penalty, Sec. 1-11: $1.00 to $2,000.00 per offense, with each day a separate violation. A person banned from city parks under the Sec. 30-17 policy who re-enters faces a forfeiture set by council resolution.
Juvenile Curfew
De Pere bars anyone under 17 from public places or business premises between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. unless a listed exception applies, such as being accompanied by a parent, at work, or coming from a supervised activity. Parents and business owners who allow violations face fines under City Code Sec. 8-13.
Key details: Curfew hours: 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.. Covered age: Under 17 years old. Adult forfeiture: $10.00 to $200.00 plus costs. First minor offense: Warning only, no fine. Repeat/aggravated cases: Referred under Wis. Stat. chs. 48, 938.
An adult (parent, guardian, custodian or establishment owner) who violates Sec. 8-13 forfeits not less than $10.00 nor more than $200.00, plus the cost of prosecution. A minor caught out past curfew is not fined on a first, non-aggravated offense; the minor instead receives a warning. A second or subsequent violation, or one involving aggravating circumstances, moves the case into the juvenile system under Wis. Stat. chs. 48 and 938 rather than a municipal forfeiture.
The Bottom Line
De Pere's curfew laws rules are a mixed bag. Some areas are strict, others are relaxed, and the details matter. The best approach is to check the specific rule that applies to your situation rather than assuming De Pere is broadly strict or permissive.
All of the above reflects De Pere's municipal code as of our last review. If you need specifics on fines, exemptions, or filing requirements, the detailed ordinance pages linked above have the full breakdown.