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Chesapeake updates ordinance: No jail time for teenagers too old to trick-or-treat

Chesapeake changed its widely-criticized but unenforced policy of possible jail time if police caught teenagers trick-or-treating on Halloween.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. — Fear not, teenagers of Chesapeake: the days of possibly facing jail for trick-or-treating are at an end.

Chesapeake City Council unanimously voted to update its ordinance, reducing the penalty for being too old trick-or-treat down to a class 4 misdemeanor, while also raising the trick-or-treat age limit from 12 to 14.

Additionally, you may trick-or-treat regardless of age, if accompanied by an adult.

Under the old ordinance, someone who was too old to trick-or-treat faced the possibility of a fine or even up to six months in jail.

Police said they never enforced the old ordinance, but that didn't prevent late-night TV from poking fun.

Last year, Jimmy Kimmel Live! faked an interview with "Chesapeake Police Sergeant Buck DePalma," played by actor Fred Willard.

RELATED: Jimmy Kimmel pokes fun at Chesapeake trick-or-treat law 

“The idea that we would put teenagers that age in jail was just a horrible thought, obviously, and it angered a lot of people," said Mayor Rick West.

“It was embarrassing and something that we certainly weren’t doing and it seemed somewhat unfair."

The newly updated ordinance now brings Chesapeake's policy for Halloween in line with ordinances in other Hampton Roads cities.

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