GLENS FALLS -- An increase in car break-ins, underage drinking parties and vandalism, most notably the destruction of some playground equipment at Big Cross Street School, has spurred the formation of a committee to look into the possibility of enacting a curfew in the city.

The committee met for the first time Saturday morning in the mayor's conference room in City Hall to explore the pros and cons of a curfew law and how it might affect the city court system and law enforcement.

Among those present were Robert Stedman, a retired State Police senior investigator who is chairman of the committee, Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan, Assistant District Attorney Matt Buren, Ward 5 Councilman Bennet F. "Ben" Driscoll Jr., Big Cross Street School Principal Debbie Hall, Glens Falls Police Department Detective Sgt. Pete Casertino, city residents and a business owner.

A total of 12 people attended.

The inaugural meeting essentially functioned as a meet-and-greet. Going around the table, committee members introduced themselves and explained why they were involved, if they were for or against a curfew law and the reasons why.

There was no consensus formed in favor of, or against, a curfew law. However, the idea was by no means squelched.

After introductions were over, Stedman passed out copies of curfew laws enacted in Corinth, Hudson Falls, Lake George and Warrensburg as reference points.

Most of the curfew laws state that minors, in most cases determined to be 17 and younger, are in violation of curfews if they are on what is deemed as public property between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The hours of the curfew vary from community to community.

Minors going to or from work or running an errand are exempt from the law if they have a signed note from a parent or guardian.

Hogan, who is a Glens Falls resident and parent of three, said she hadn't formed an opinion yet on a curfew law.

As a prosecutor, she said she has firsthand knowledge of court issues.

"I'm not entirely sure our worst issues are being raised by teenagers. I think our real issues are being raised by our 20-somethings," Hogan said. "Now, query as to whether a curfew for teenagers deters (bad) conduct in their 20s, I don't know. I think that what we need to do is to discuss alternatives to curfews."

Hogan said that unengaged parents and a lack of home life are at the root of the problem.

"How do we engage the unengaged parents? There's a whole host of issues that if we had engaged parents we could avoid. Maybe a curfew does engage parents. Maybe it is a wake-up call. I just don't know the answer to that," Hogan said.

According to Hogan, a curfew law is a city ordinance and is a violation-level offense. Any violator over 16 would be prosecuted in City Court, where they could receive a warning, a fine of up to $300 or even jail time for multiple offenses. Those 15 and younger cannot be charged with a noncriminal violation and would fall under Persons in Need of Supervision guidelines and could receive probation through Family Court.

Stedman asked committee members to take into consideration the added burden to the city's courts and law enforcement.

"This takes an enormous amount of effort and people," he said.

Casertino, the Glens Falls police detective, said if a curfew law were in place, officers would use discretion and if an officer stopped a minor or group of minors who were breaking curfew but weren't causing trouble and seemed to be headed to a destination deemed believable, they wouldn't be issued a citation.

Casertino said Glens Falls Police Sgt. Keith Knoop has seen an influx of minors from towns with curfew laws hanging out in Glens Falls, where there is no curfew.

"He (Knoop) has noticed that we're getting a lot of youths - and he's talking the 15, 17, 18 (year-old) age group - that are coming from Hudson Falls, and several from Warrensburg," Casertino said.

Big Cross Principal Debbie Hall said that within six months of a new playground being built at the school last year, $5,000 worth of damage was done to the equipment. She said security cameras were too far away to identify the vandals.

PTA parents at the school brought up the idea of a curfew law. The idea was then passed onto Hall and then onto Ben Driscoll, who presented the idea to the Common Council last fall. The council agreed a committee should be formed to explore the idea.

Not present at the meeting were two teenage representatives from Glens Falls High School, who Stedman said he hopes will join the conversation at the group's next meeting (see accompanying story for more information).

Anyone who wishes to comment on the issue may e-mail Stedman at rstedman@nycap.rr.com.