Stonecrest, GA Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)

Adopted by Ordinance No. 2018-10-03 and codified at City Code § 16-29, Stonecrest's loitering and prowling ordinance targets presence, not just conduct: subsection (a) makes it unlawful for a person to be in a place at a time or in a manner not usual for law-abiding individuals, under circumstances that warrant a justifiable and reasonable alarm or immediate concern for the safety of persons or property in the vicinity. The section lists specific circumstances an officer may weigh, including whether the person flees upon an officer's appearance, refuses to identify himself, or manifestly tries to conceal himself or an object.

Before any arrest, the officer must, unless flight or other circumstances make it impracticable, give the person a chance to dispel the alarm by identifying himself and explaining his presence and conduct; no conviction can stand if the officer skipped that step or if the explanation given turns out to have been true and would have dispelled the concern. Subsection (b) adds a parallel, stricter rule for anyone 17 or younger, adding presence at a place during school hours as an additional circumstance an officer may weigh.

Subsections (c) and (d) extend liability to a parent, guardian or custodian who permits a minor to violate subsection (a), and to a proprietor, manager or other person in charge of a place who permits a minor to loiter there in violation of the section.