MASSENA — A nightly curfew could be on the way for village children and teenagers.

Officials may enforce a curfew as part of a larger strategy to curb juvenile crime and improve quality of life. A village ordinance stating residents under the age of 16 cannot be out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless accompanied by an adult has existed for years, according to Police Chief Timmy J. Currier.

“We have not enforced it,” Mr. Currier said. “As written, it’s really unenforceable.”

The village has some work to do before enforcing such an ordinance, Mr. Currier said. In 2009, the state Court of Appeals struck down a curfew implemented by the village of East Rochester. The court ruled East Rochester did not have sufficient data to enforce that ordinance.

Mr. Currier said his department is compiling seven years’ worth of data to show a curfew’s necessity. He expects to submit a revised curfew proposal to the village Board of Trustees within the next couple of months.

“It’s labor intensive because we’re looking at each juvenile incident and each vandalism incident. ... Once we look at the data, it’s going to be clear we have juvenile issues at night that hopefully can be prevented with the enforcement of a curfew,” he said. “We’re looking to revise our ordinance to bring it in line with the Court of Appeals recommendations.”

Mayor James F. Hidy said he supports enforcing a curfew. He grew frustrated when vandals struck the Pine Grove Cemetery last year and desecrated gravestones. When other juveniles recently spray-painted a statue of the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus near St. Mary’s Church, he said, he was sent over the edge.

“Enough is enough,” Mr. Hidy said. “People in the village are not going to be afraid of walking the streets at night.”

Mr. Hidy and Mr. Currier invited a host of Massena leaders, including Judges Gerald P. Sharlow and James M. Crandall and school Superintendent Roger B. Clough II, to a meeting last week to discuss the proposed curfew and other proposed changes.

“We’ve got all the necessary people involved,” he said. “They’re all buying into it.”

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