Compromise reached in City Council on curfew amid teen takeovers; vote expected next month
Some concerned new situational proposal could lead to abuse
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The City Council is preparing to move forward with a new curfew ordinance to address the problem of teen takeovers.
A compromise was worked out Wednesday morning before the start of the City Council meeting.
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Downtown Alderman Brian Hopkins said he has worked out a compromise with his City Council colleagues to allow for targeted curfews to address safety concerns about teen takeovers anywhere in the city.
In response to a number of teen takeovers, including a recent one involving hundreds of young people, where a 15-year-old boy was shot, Hopkins originally proposed to change the curfew for unaccompanied minors from 10 to 8 p.m. in the central business district.
Police were unable to disperse the crowd until after 10 p.m., when the current curfew kicked in. Several were arrested.
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But the mayor was not onboard with that, and there was not enough support in the Council.
So, now it will be a discretionary curfew that could be imposed by the police superintendent or local commanders anywhere or anytime, in response to large gatherings.
"It's based on when these teen takeovers actually occur, we can respond to this tool," Alderman Hopkins said. "When there's nothing going on like in the winter months when these things tend to not happen, we don't necessarily need this curfew. So, it's applied on an as-needed basis. It is declared in response to what's happening, and then after the event is over, the curfew lapses until such time it needs to be brought forth again."
The temporary curfew could take place when there is a gathering of 20 or more people and police deem it necessary to maintain safety and order, anywhere in the city.
Unaccompanied minors would have 30 minutes to disperse.
"It is now situational, and the Chicago Police Department can decide if a situational curfew is necessary, and they are best placed to make that decision," 34th Ward Ald. Bill Conway said.
Hopkins said he has the support to get this revised ordinance passed, and the Law Department has signed off on its legality. It could still undergo some changes before that vote.
He plans to hold a public hearing and then eventually bring it up for a vote at the May City Council meeting, so it would be in place before the Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial kickoff to the summer.
But the proposed changes are raising a few concerns about the potential for abuse.
"You give officers the ability to impose curfews based on situations, anybody want to bet how many times it happens at Wrigley or other parts of town, right? So, there is a way the tool could be used unfairly depending on the situation, income, color. It might lead to profiling," 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said. "Sometimes I feel like we may get a bit reflexive and try to draft something because our neighbors are concerned. They want something to be done. Some of us want something to actually be done, not just something passed. That makes it look like, 'hey, look, we did a thing.'"
They want to move forward carefully.
Mayor Brandon Johnson says there are some aspects that need further vetting.
"Look, nothing's more important to me as the mayor of the city of Chicago than the overall safety of all of our residents, and so that's why this is a (whole of government) example of all voices coming together to put forth ideas so that we can come to a reasonable solution that works for everyone, that is something that we can implement citywide," Johnson said.
Under the current curfew, violators could still face fines or community services.
Chicago police have been working with the Council to address safety around these teen gatherings.
Some teens at Wednesday's Council meeting worried the new plan could be too restrictive.
"I understand they're doing that to add more safety, but it's way too strict and especially too early, to just tell people to disperse within 30 minutes," Urban Prep senior Amir Sanni said.
Civics students from Urban Prep Academy in Englewood were observing the meeting, and were asked by Alderman David Moore to review the ordinance.
"Honestly, I kind of agree with this because do have some points that you know could be better for the city and our safety as teens," Urban Prep senior Amarion White said.
