No, they are not. Don't believe me, check your state's statutes.
I don't care what the statutes say. When you let your wife and kids go to the mall together for instance (if you have any...), and they have to mingle with all the street urchins that congregate there, it's not the official "police force" that are there keeping an eye on them for you while you are not there. It's not a guy with a permenant badge, a cruiser, and a shotgun in the front seat who is responsible for them staying safe while they walk around inside and then carry all those Christmas presents across the dark parking