ABBEVILLE, La. (KLFY)– In a unanimous vote, the Abbeville city council has approved a curfew change for minors under 18 and has set a minimum fine for parents or guardians if they do not comply.

The council voted to have a curfew in place for children under the age of 18 from Sunday through Thursday 8:30 p.m. until 5 a.m. On Friday and Saturday curfew hours are 10 p.m. until 5 a.m.

“The public is asking us to do something about the problem and this is something that we can do to try to fix the problem,” said Roslyn White, the mayor of Abbeville said.

Councilman Francis Touchet says parents or guardians will be fined $50 if their children do not comply with the first offense and the second offense is $75. A third is $100 and community service hours.

“I know if I was picked up at 16 by the police and my parents got fined $50, there would have been consequences at home, and so hopefully, by putting this in place parents would start administering some consequences within their own household,” White said.

Police Chief Mike Hardy is on board with the changes and says they will help decrease juvenile crime.

“It’s going to knock off a majority of our troubles right there. Kids will realize they are gonna pick me up, so I’m not getting out.”

One parent in attendance agrees with the curfew, and says holding parents accountable is a step in the right direction.

“You got to put the responsibility on these kids because if you love your parent as much as you say you do, you’re not going to allow your parent to spend the $50 or that $100, you are going to be home.”

The council says the curfew does not go into effect immediately instead saying for now the vote puts things in motion.