This is so ridiculous its hilarious. Its just chalk. Why would the police even waste their time.

Oh no! Really!?! Waste of time & tax dollars, get with it!

Picture a sunny day and the boys are 8 and 10 drawing whales and sea turtles with side walk chalk on the side walk the street or even on the side of a building would they be cited for criminal mischief. I can't believe this will actually go before a judge.

Agree w/ previous comments... The absurdity of this is beyond belief. In other countries, the work of these young men would have been recognized as cultural assets and not undesirable detriments.

Is chalk some sort of gateway drug that leads to other worse mediums like glue guns and glitter?

Let the kids be!!!! Doesn't vandalism have to be done in some sort of permanent means (like spray paint) for it to be illegal? Do the citations cost the kids anything?

P.S. Wilma - you got me laughing out loud!!!

LOL Wilma! As a long time crafter, I think I did start with chalk. I hope this thing gets tossed these boys don't need the stigma of a criminal record over this tripe and frankly neither does Doylestown the AP is going to have a field day with this if they pick it up.

I think we need a Chalk-u-py Doylestown day - chalk is not graffiti!

Really??? This is a problem worth citing kids over? Unbelievable! I really wish the police would focus on the drivers who are continually violating the speed limit in the Borough and making our "pedestrian-friendly" town less safe. That's a real problem.

Love it Mark!!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist, there's a War on Chalk going on in our country.

http://freerangekids.wordpress.com/2012/08/03/outrage-of-the-weekmom-sentenced-for-letting-her-4-y-o-draw-with-chalk/

This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. I am an 18 year old in the doylestown area, and let me tell you, there are many other kids commiting actual crimes that these damn cops should be spending their time on. These kids do not deserve this, especially after the protests surrounding the central bucks area about cutting art programs and such. If this is what the area police officers are spending their time and energy on, there is something seriously wrong with that. Grow up! Or better yet, remember what it felt like to be a kid for a moment.

How absurd is this? I live in Doylestown....do I need to worry about my three year old getting arrested or cited for using side-walk chalk now?

This is a joke . Stop wasting our tax dollars . It's chalk it washed away already . Give these boys a break!!!

Occupiers in NYC and elsewhere have been arrested for drawing with chalk in city parks since the start of Occupy Wall Street Sept 17 2011. Time for the rest of the country to join the Chalkupation and stand up against unjust absurb laws designed only to make money for the gestapo (whoops I mean the local police). This country is going to hell just like George Orwell's 1984 predicted!

I had a neighbor who would pitch a fit if the kids would write on his sidewalk with chalk, even his own kids. He would make them write on mine. Honestly, it's chalk. It isn't desecrating anything, it washes off with water and allows children a means of expression. Maybe these police need to do a stint in a big city so they learn what true crime is.

Would have been helpful if the "several instances of vandalism using chalk" by unknown perps had been made more clear. If that earlier stuff had been obscene words or drawings in the street or on buildings, then I could see all the concern. In any case, since these teens apparently weren't doing any of that kind of thing when "caught" in the middle of the street with their drawings at midnight, then the thing to have done would have been to warn them and take their names and addresses in case of future truly "criminal" chalk business. In addition, If drawing in the street with chalk in Doylestown is a criminal activity, then I'd better watch out that my 6 year old granddaughter not only stays out of the street (especially at midnight) as is normally done, but also doesn't let her chalk stray off the driveway and into the street when drawing her kiddie pictures. I think we should appreciate and respect Doylestown's finest, but this kind of nipping criminality in the bud doesn't help. Perhaps a rotation program with the police in the "badlands" of North Philly trading places with out guys for a short while could be worked out in order to get some perspective.

Sorry-- "with out" in my comment should have been "with our."
Art Waite

the cops have nothing better to do after they eat there free donuts they go after kids what a joke and the chief wake up.... kids kids haveing fun for free....

Let's have a sidewalk chalk weekend in Doylestown in protest! So harmless.

Good Grief..one can only wonder what would have happened if they were using water based paint...beheading! What ever happened to having the punishment fit the crime.
OOps I forgot.....Radical Republicans

You know what the biggest business in Doylestown is? It's the courthouse! Look around the neighborhood...see anything that big being developed anywhere else? Look at that huge parking garage...who parks there? (more of us eventually!) And we're paying for it with taxes, and to ramp things up a bit, soon to be fines collected from the citizens of Bucks County! Our taxes will no doubt be going up again soon to hire more police and pay for all that OT to round up the chalk artists and go house to house confiscating the contraband chalk! Eventually the police will need new uniforms to suit their new duties, so some of our taxes and fines will go to buying some of those funny looking helmets with the pointy things on top and some nice tall boots for goosestepping through our homes and neighborhoods!

All you Burgermeisters better be careful, though! I drive by your houses on trash day, and I see all those empty alcoholic beverage containers in front of your homes each week, and we know what's going on there! Your house may be pretty big, but i don't think all those partiers are spending the night, are they? Are all those partiers of legal age? I think that's a pretty disgraceful spectacle.

But then, you Burgermeisters don't have to worry about seeing the insides of that new parking garage, or the new courthouse when it's built, do you? You'll talk to the good ole DA Meister, or the Sheriff Meister, or the Police Chief Meister, and come to some other "arrangement." Yeah, we're on to those games, too.

sounds like someone getting a kick back on all these new bldgs start cking records at new court should be public records???? also maybe time for new mayor ..doylestown use to be a nice town yrs ago ...

It's still a nice town....just has its issues like pretty much every other town in existence.

midnight sounds like a good time its better that the kids aren;t drinking breaking into something drawing is good kids down south draw on sidewalks cops don;t give them tickets to busy after dopers and shoters our cops are no angels but they give kids 17=18 a chance at life thats why when kids grow up they hate cops ...

First you have chalk, next you will have kids riding around with those playing cards in their spokes, then the streamers on the bicycles, then they will bite through the hard candy too early and get to the tootsie roll center too early, and yes Antoinette, soon they will be thinking about returning to their evil ways to play hop scotch. Maybe a warning would have been in order. When is the trial? I guess we could chalk this one up to.............sorry couldn't help myself.

every ones saying the kids could get hit is traffic that heavy at mid night ????then i;m wrong they should draw on sidewalks instead mid night don;t you roll up your streets that late ..... cops could bend a little no reason for ticket unless money going towards new court house and judges new raise......

For those making negative comments about the police, keep in mind one thing. Those kids were out there in the middle of the street at midnight. It would be ridiculous if it happened during the day or early evening, but at midnight? Parents of the kids should be thanking the police for getting them home. And arresting them is one legal way of doing it.

If you think this was stupid you should contact Mayor Libby White
Here is her contact informaiton:
Mayor Libby White,
57 W Court Street,
Doylestown, PA 18901

Phone 215. 348.2581
Email libbywhite1@verizon.net

Doylestown must be a pit. Glad I don't live there. It's got to be a bunch of low-lifes to allow their police to carry on like this.

With this kind of thing happening nationwide, there's a move on now to cut police salaries and eliminate their benfits. Some cops make $100,000 a year plus benefits for riding around doing crazy things like this. It's time to downsize the police and take away their guns.

America is becoming like Russia and China. It would never happen, if the local population were not such a bunch of nincompoops.

If they were out drawling on 6-11 or a major street that would be one thing but on some back road that's another. If they were to be hit by a car doing this on a back road in town, one could only assume the driver would be drunk. In any case, its too bad in rained today. I would have loved to see their work haha

this is a joke right ?
you mean to tell me the Pa police don't have enough real crime to solve to earn the paychecks now this ?
CHALK will wash off with a little water no matter where it's placed ...theywould sooner see them use spray paint ? hmmm things that just make you shake your head in amazement...

too funny for words... and where was that 4 year old girl whose mother got arrested for the kid doing chalk on the street? doylestown too? --@steve -- next thing ur gonna find them with their knickers above the knee, saying things like "gee, and so's your old man," and reading jokes out of the whiz bang (music man, 1957, set in 1912 iow -- things never change ) @retiree, you think these kids wouldnt be able to see a car approaching and step out of the way? they werent cited for being drunk/stoned -- just for the chalk....i just decided i want to be the US Czar over terrorist chalk writing .. gotta keep it off the walls cause if the rain doesnt go sideways it will stay there a while.. ok i'm off to walmart buy me some chalk see if they arrest a senior too!

This is an embarrassment. How about worrying about the trafficking of heroin in town instead?

Congress needs more regulations on chalk, this is getting out of hand, first a 2nd grader, now teens. When will it ever stop? Lets see, they have chalk, you have graffiti, you have thousands of teens living in your town, but it's obvious these are the ones that did the vandalism. I bet when it rains all the evidence will be gone. Must be boring in Doylestown if this is what the cops are worried about.

Another pathetic example of Government by the Government for the Government thru the CRIMINALIZATION of "We the People"

1) These were NOT little Kids this was an Adult and a 17year old (one year away from being an adult AND under adult supervision if you will) 2) Midnight IS probably the SAFEST time to be drawing on the STREET - not much TRAFFIC at that time of the day. 3) it is CHALK and according to the story has ALREADY been washed away.
CRAYOLA get your Lawyers to that CITY and defend them Pro Bono....I just bought both of my grandchildren each a 20 piece box of sidewalk chalk . . .AND I don't want THEM arrested for drawing on my Driveway (Where they have MY permission to use their ARTISTIC TALENTS and IMAGINATION to their Hearts content.)
When you try to discourage imagination your rob the world of innovation.
A neighbor who passed away a few years ago told me how one of his teachers got fired in the 30s because she told the class...(wait for it) Man would go to the Moon.

You can easily tell when government has become too big. When it has the motivation, extra time and excess resources to bully citizens, it is time to cut it back severely.

But we have murderers and pedophiles getting away with heinous crimes. And our tax dollars are paying for the cops and their familes to survive. They had absolutely nothing to charge them with. This is not criminal mischief. This is FREEDOM being EXERCISED. What our country is SUPPOSED to stand for. If the cops weren't spending so much time worrying about pictures of sea turtles drawn with chalk and spent more time going after the people who are actually doing harm, the world would be a much better place. I think the cops should be fired for wasting their time and everyone elses. This is just SAD. If the judge actually sentences them, I'm moving to a different country.

Ummm.. it's CHALK.. and it's drawings of inane things.. do the authorities have ANYTHING better to do with their time?

Ok, I wasn't going to get any more involved with this than my previous comment, but I have to add that as much as I try to be fair and put myself in the place of the police trying to do a good job with their problem of real vandalism (according to them) with chalk on buildings and so forth in the past, I really find it hard to believe a competent police department would go along with issuing a citation for "criminal mischief" against a couple of people where there is no proof that they are guilty of anything other than drawing with chalk on the street (no matter what time of night or day it might have been). I can easily see that the thinking was that they were roundly suspicious of these people and issuing a citation might discourage these nocturnal and therefor "suspicious" chalkers who might be guilty of past misdeeds, However, leaving it "up to the judge" to decide if they were correct (or even legal in doing so) begs the question as to the knowledge of the conequences of doing things in basic police work. I supose they figured that if the judge decided that they were incorrect that they would simply be told that they were a bit heavy-handed and to never do that again without proof of guilt. The whole thing smacks of a philosophy of just doing anything to see if it works or until someone complains. . . .

I think it is stupid if
As long as no profanity was used they sell the chalk for kids to play with. It comes off wit water and no real effort just running water makes it disappear. The worse that should happen is clean it up kids have it hard these days they can't just play like we used to do everything is a major problem

05 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012

That means hop scotch is against the law.

This isn't the broken window theory this is chalk on the street that washes off with water broken windows are intentional dustruction

Steve

1:54 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012

First you have chalk, next you will have kids riding around with those playing cards in their spokes, then the streamers on the bicycles, then they will bite through the hard candy too early and get to the tootsie roll center too early, and yes Antoinette, soon they will be thinking about returning to their evil ways to play hop scotch. Maybe a warning would have been in order. When is the trial? I guess we could chalk this one up to.............sorry couldn't help myself.

Lol for my evil way the trial is sept 6th 2012 at the magistrate in falls township.

Did they change the trial location because of adverse publicity? Check out our Doylestown Patch, that story is rockin on that site.

Get out really This actually happend to me on July 25th in Falls township the police did not see a thing just our art work I Love you Leah heart I miss you Leah Love Mommon, Mommy,katelynn,jess your sister we video taped the whole thing we did nothing wrong. the cop said I arrest you I said go ahead take you to bucks county prison I said yes that will happen I can just see it now the intaike officer seeing a 58 year old lady a 31 year old mother and 3 teenagers with a legal court order that he didn't even read giving us access to my grandaughter. Cop "I am bringing these criminals in for chalking on the street love notes and using silly string" And then we left not to mention that the 911 tape showed we were called kidnappers and 2 cop cars and Falls township tactical force came riding down the street because of a fraudulent 911 call and fraudulent police report that we are not allowed to have. The person who made the 911 call was in court today for the same thing in bristol township and he was held accountable for making false claims. So here we are never did anything wrong in my life and now if I am found Guilty I and my daughter in law will have a record for disordely conduct. going to court Sept 6,2012. it is unbelieveable don't these cops have anything better to do. I apologized to the officer for treating him like a pimple faced kid wet behind the ears. But now I think he over used his authority and his badge on this one street chalk and silly string they never seen it

The cost if. Found guilty is 440.00 believe it x's 2.

Such an embarrassment for the police department! Chalk washes away. Seriously? Go find some real crime!

I like to thank our police department for making Doylestown a national embarrassment.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/10/2-pa-teens-cited-for-parking-lot-chalk-drawings/

there is a new court house being built...maybe the Doylestown police are being pressured to raise money to help pay for it.

This is all a part of a greater conspiracy...the Burgermeister is planning to outlaw all toys, Santa, and Christmas, too!

This is not only doylestown this happened July 25th in falls township there must have a memo that went out to all township police departments. CRACK DOWN On All street chalkers and silly string users we get more revenue than a traffic offence. Kudos Falls Township officer Elmore badge 84 Iam sure he made his quota this month and is police man of the Month. Congrats to u officer Elmore

My offence of chalking didn't even make the police log I watched all week and I fell under no crime in falls township

I don't know many 17 or 18 year olds that would have been drawing sea turtles and whales? At midnight? What were these kids really drawing? This whole story is fishy.

No not really I was drawing hearts and flowers and I love and miss yous nothing more myself daughter in law and three tweens. Nothing more. Honest

The teen and the officer himself didn't say the boys were disrespectful.

I am sorry for all the typo and grammar mistakes but I am not a texter. I am doing this via my I phone which I am not good at one finger not thiumbs. Sorry

Reject
Antoinette Kijak
1:50 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
This is not. Broken window theory this is chalk on the street this is what it is sold for it doesn't come with a warning label it washes off with water an no real effort as long as no profanity is used I think it is over kill and the township is real short on money. However broken window theory is a intentional act of distruction no chalk on the side walk. I also got ticketed for chalk on the side walk. And silly string. On July 25th no profanity was used just I love u Leah and miss u. It washed off with running water the police didn't even see us do anything. We were denied the police report. All for street chalk it is not against the law however making a fictitious call to 911 is or giviving false statements to the police is against the law. Having a legal cout order signed by a judge is legal but the falls township police aren't interested in what is right just what is easy
Want to leave a comment?

The only crime here is(if there really is) that its sidewalk chalk and not street chalk! As for being in the middle of the street, in my day we used to play STREET hockey and when cars came, we moved(common sense) as 17 & 18 yr old should have and we played until the street lights came on. All you conservatives out there focus on whats at hand not what could have happen. As far as I'm concerned, they did not do anything out of the ordinary and kids will be kids and these COPS need to do their jobs and figure out what crimes are and what are not. This was certainly not. If I were an officer on this call, I would have clear it and sent it down as much as everything is(warned them and sent them on their way) and not put something so stupid in the papers! WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!

Let's be really clear here. These teens were in the middle of the road at midnight. They have broken curfew. They are unsupervised. If they were in their own driveways or drawing on the sidewalk in front of their homes, then it would be absurd. As it stands, they broke the law. My own three children would never be allowed at that age to be in Doylestown at midnight. No wonder kids are a mess today; there is no parenting.

Anyone that honestly agrees with the police on this matter are out of their minds and are down right idiots. It's chalk, relax, I promise the rain will wash it away. This is why Doylestown cops have a reputation of being power hugry. And anyone that is saying 'ohhh the kids could have been run over! Thank you for our heroic cops for saving them' are also unrealistic....these teens are 18 and 17...they have brains, they know to move out ofthe way of a moving car.

Someone please upload the "Chalk Police" flyer I saw posted at Court and East -- it is hysterical!

maybe these young adults need a place to hang out. close the parking garage one night a wk let the teens skate board chalk pics play ball keep em busy.this way the off the streets, also how did the cops speak to the kids ????? what was there attitude the way people are takeing the cops have a very bad attitude on everything. hope the news papers are in court the day this comes up.......

Maybe they should of been cited for curfew violAtion not chalking the street

the best thing to do is stop all stores from selling CHALK OF ANY KIND in town new sign as you enter this is a no chalk town ...chalkers not welcome by order of mayor and chief of police ,,we want a clean town...

If the kids had drawn on the street at 8 PM (when there is far more traffic) would they still have gotten a citation? Is the issue chalking on the street or the time they were doing it? Maybe having this concern for the police to worry about now will cause them to leave the employees who own the produce outlet alone for stopping traffic to help customers back out of their parking lot if necessary.

Roalmao

The most depressing thing to me is not that complete lack of common sense and discretion exercised by the police, but that people like retiree88, Chuck Veepert and Ivnnbuckingham can vote and feel as though they need to impose their will on everyone else. When I reflect on everything that is wrong with this country, the criminalization of living life, the death of common sense, the rewarding of slothfulness and penalizing those who work to be successful, I think of guys like retiree88, Chuck Veepert, and Ivnnbuckingham and how their kind is destroying everything good.

^ couldn't have put it better myself. Let kids be kids, take care of things that actually matter.

Such a horrible crime!!! Almost as bad as skateboarding!!! Maybe I'll move to Philly where it's safe.

My, my......how quickly we forget that these are the same police officers who put themselves in harms way to keep our residents safe during the stand-off on Father's Day. You, who berate our law enforcement officers, would be up in arms if there were "kids" defacing your property, and nothing were done about it.

Parents, keep tabs on your children...............they are YOUR responsibility.

I wonder... does possession of sidewalk chalk mean that one can be arrested for criminal intent? Does anyone have the link for the Dept. of Homeland Security, Pre-Crime Division, Terrorist Chalking Tactical Unit?

The charges were dropped! The Burgermeister surrendered to public outcry! Viva the chalk doodlers!

its great news hope this lad learned something from all of this there are very nice people out there and its been fun reading all the coments most were pos. thank all of you its been fun g. shumaker charleston s.c.

I just read the origininal article when is it the police chief job to assume since they had chalk they commited the previous crime. I wonder if he will send the chalk to CSI for comparison to the chalk taken off the walls where the graffitti appeared before. Oh yeah what do they say about the word assume! Hey chief you are an ass!

I just learned on here that these charges were dropped, but I am wondering if the news media was advised as I have not seen it on TV as I did the original charges. It would seem appropriate to notify the TV stations as it could help give some credibility back to the judgment of the Doylestown Police Department. Also seems that a public apology would be in order to the boys who were charged....how embarrassing for Doylestown.

Here's the latest: http://doylestown.patch.com/articles/charges-against-teen-chalkers-dropped

maybe the town should spend some $$ on a place for kids to have fun chalking skate boarding just let kids play ... curfew must be obeyed by everyone thats the town rule .mayor spend some $$ on your town kids give em a chance at life instead of police giveing em hard times and the kids dis likeing the police lets get along together .maybe you don;t need that new car ...