public safety

Curfew sweep nets 15

Police mounted operations in 21 Panama City areas netting 15 violators and a gun.

Police detained 15 minors Monday night, including one who was caught with a 9mm handgun.

Monday was the first night that police enforced a 9 p.m. curfew for all residents under 18. That measure was approved to address the country's growing crime problem.

Police made sweeps through 21 neighborhoods in Panama City, taking 15 minors into custody. The youth who was found in possession of the handgun will be criminally charged. He was arrested in El Chorillo.

Other neighborhoods that were searched include Parque Lefevre, San Miguel, Bella Vista, San Francisco, Santa Ana and San Felipe.

Iveth González De Rivas, who directs the Policía Nacional's youth division, said that parents of those taken into custody are liable for a fine of between $10 and $25.

If the parents can't be contacted, the youths will remain in custody. That will automatically trigger an investigation of the child's home situation.

"If the parents represent a danger to the child, they will be held by the state for their protection," the officer said.

Police will also be conducting sweeps of bars and nightclubs looking for underage people.