Westminster, CO Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Zone covered
- school grounds plus 100 feet
- Required trigger
- order to leave from school staff or police
- Intent required
- disrupt program or endanger children
- Offense type
- criminal, fine or jail (§1-8-1)
- Defense
- lawful peaceful assembly (§6-3-6(C))
Summary
Westminster makes it a crime to loiter on or within 100 feet of school grounds with intent to disrupt classes or endanger students, once a school official or officer has told the person to leave, under W.M.C. 6-3-6. There is no general adult loitering ban outside this school-grounds context.
(A)It shall be unlawful for any person to loiter, with intent to interfere with or disrupt the school program or with intent to interfere with or endanger school children, in a school building or on school grounds, or within 100 feet of school grounds, when persons under the age of 18 are present in the building or on the grounds not having any reason or relationship involving custody of, or responsibility for, a pupil or any other specific, legitimate reason for being there, and having been asked to leave by a school administrator or his representative or by a police officer.(B)"Loiter" shall mean to be dilatory, to stand idly around, to linger, delay or wander about, or to remain, abide, or tarry.(C)It shall be an affirmative defense that the defendant's acts were lawful and he was exercising his rights of lawful assembly as a part of peaceful and orderly petition for the redress of grievances, either in the course of labor disputes or otherwise.(D)Loitering on school grounds is a criminal offense, punishable by a fine or imprisonment or both, as provided in Section 1-8-1, W.M.C.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 12).
Full Breakdown
' The offense has several required elements: intent to disrupt or endanger, presence in or within 100 feet of a school with minors present, no custodial or other legitimate reason for being there, and a prior request to leave from a school official or officer. Section 6-3-6(B) defines 'loiter' broadly as being 'dilatory,' standing 'idly around,' or lingering, delaying, wandering, remaining, abiding or tarrying. Section 6-3-6(C) carves out an affirmative defense for a person 'exercising his rights of lawful assembly as a part of peaceful and orderly petition for the redress of grievances,' including during a labor dispute, so peaceful picketing near a school is not automatically criminalized even if it meets the loitering elements.
' Notably, Westminster's code does not contain a general public-place loitering ban outside this school context; the City's only other loitering-specific statute targets nighttime juvenile loitering under a separate section.
Violations & Fines
Loitering on or within 100 feet of school grounds with intent to disrupt classes or endanger students, after being told to leave by school staff or police, is a criminal offense under Section 6-3-6(D), punishable by a fine or imprisonment or both under Section 1-8-1, W.M.C. The lawful-assembly defense in subsection (C) can defeat a charge tied to peaceful protest activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is loitering illegal everywhere in Westminster?
What counts as loitering under Westminster's school-grounds law?
Can I be charged for protesting near a school?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Westminster
Compare Westminster to another location·View the Colorado public conduct overview
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