EDENTON, N.C. — While fans enjoy high school football games and other school events this season, one North Carolina police department is paying close attention to what’s happening off the field.
Edenton police officers are determined to keep everyone safe under the Friday night lights.
“We want to collaborate with the community, the school, the parents to have a positive outcome for our youth," said Police Chief Henry King.
From now on, Chief King said his department is holding parents responsible if their child is acting out at an after-school football game or activity.
“A lot of juveniles were attending some of the sporting events at different areas in town and we want to make sure our kids behave," Chief King said.
A sign out front of the Edenton-Holmes Athletic complex shares the Edenton-Chowan School's current policy with fans: Any student in 8th grade or below needs a parent or guardian with them at events.
Chief King said he’s heard some parents check their students into the game, and then the parent leaves out a side door.
“You are responsible for your children," King said.
If police officers find a student misbehaving and their parent isn’t around, Chief King said they will charge the parent with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
“Giving everybody the playbook and letting them see the playbook upfront, then there are no hidden agendas from the police department," King said.
He hopes parents heed the police department’s warning and prevent a negative game experience for other families.
"We don’t want the community to think we are trying to hold a charge or an arrest over their head," King said. "But we also want them to be held accountable for their children’s actions. We all know it starts at home.”
In North Carolina, contributing to the delinquency of a minor is a class one misdemeanor charge, and there is an identical law in Virginia.