TWIN LAKES — Parents will now be held accountable if their children get into trouble in the village.

Under an ordinance change approved by the Village Board on Monday, parents will face up to a $500 fine for failing to properly supervise their child, should the child get into trouble with authorities more than twice in a six-month period.

Twin Lakes Police Chief Dale Racer asked village officials to give the parental responsibility ordinance more teeth and allow the department to hold parents accountable for their children’s delinquency.

He said the prior ordinance was antiquated, vague and very restrictive. Neither the judge nor police officers had the authority to give the parents a citation.

“The police department is repeatedly issuing municipal citations to the same juveniles, such as curfew, underage drinking, truancy, etc., and the parents are failing to take responsibility for these acts caused by their repeat-offender children,” Racer said when he proposed the amendment.

Under the revamped ordinance, a parent can be issued a citation if a child is convicted of a municipal ordinance violation or state law twice in a six-month period or three or more times within a 12-month period.

The ordinance change was supported by both Racer and Municipal Judge Bruce Goodnough. It also was reviewed by the village attorney.

According to the approved ordinance, the village must prove the parent aided or abetted said child during an act forming the basis for a violation or failed to act or otherwise impose reasonable supervisory controls on the child to prevent a violation.

The penalty will be no more than $500.

The ordinance also defines defenses that can be used by parents, including:

— The parent has a physical or mental disability or incompetence rendering him/her incapable of supervising the juvenile at the time the misconduct occurred.

— The parent reported the act forming the basis of the violation to appropriate authorities when it occurred or as soon as the parent learned of the violation.

— The parent can provide evidence of ongoing participation in or recent completion of parenting classes, family therapy or other appropriate counseling which includes the parent or family.

— The juvenile has been diagnosed by a physician or psychologist as suffering from a disorder rendering parental control ineffective.

Further, it is not a defense if the parent assigned parental responsibility to another unless it was done by court order.