MADISON (WKOW) -- East Towne and West Towne Malls are set to launch their Youth Escort Policy Friday.
The policy is designed to provide shoppers and retailers with a family-friendly, convenient and enjoyable experience. This new policy begins at 4:00 p.m. and requires all mall visitors under the age of 18 to be accompanied by a parent or guardian, aged 21 or older. The policy is only enforced Fridays and Saturdays, again after 4:00 p.m.
Department stores and those stores with exterior entrances do not need to enforce the policy. The Youth Escort Policy is to curtail the rising number of unsupervised youth hanging out at the malls and any related disturbances.
Madison Alder Paul Skidmore, whose district includes West Towne Mall, says "What I think you're going to see is a lot of education still; people informing, trying to move people along. You're not going to see strict enforcement and you're really not going to see tickets being issued or anything like that."
Skidmore says if juveniles are still in the mall after curfew, security will ask them to comply with the policy and if they don't leave, they'll be escorted out.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/35989125/2017/07/27/curfews-begin-at-madison-malls-friday