Chicago City Council vote on controversial 'snap curfew' ordinance deferred
CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Chicago City Council deferred a vote Wednesday on a so-called "snap curfew" for young people.
The vote, in a parliamentary maneuver, was delayed until the next meeting on June 18.
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Summer months, warm weather, no school and social media have been the key ingredients for downtown "teen takeovers," but a City Council effort to control them has once again hit a snag.
"All they did was delay the inevitable and deny the Chicago police a tool they could eventually use to stop a violent teen takeovers from happening," 2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins said.
Hopkins, chairman of the City Council Public Safety Committee, had enough votes to pass his ordinance, but 17 alders, including Mayor Brandon Johnson's allies led by 28th Ward's Jason Ervin, delayed the vote.
"I think the curfews, as we seen, have not, have never solved this problem," 25th Ward Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez said.
For months, city leaders in Chicago have been sparring over the so-called "snap curfew."
SEE ALSO | 14-year-old charged in downtown Chicago shooting of 15-year-old during March 'teen takeover': CPD
If the measure clears Council, the Chicago police superintendent, along with the deputy mayor, would be allowed to call for a curfew for groups of 20 or more with a 30-minute warning. It can happen anytime and any place for a three-hour period.
"This does not impede an officer's ability, just because we scream the word curfew," 40th Ward Ald. Andre Vasquez said.
The ordinance has gone through many changes, as Hopkins has spent months negotiating with the mayor's office and others to fine-tune it.
"We did make it clear that, for him to make the decision, he's mandated to consult with the deputy mayor of public safety," Hopkins said.
Police would not need his approval, however: something a previous compromise had required.
Opponents believe it's unconstitutional.
Hopkins expects it will still pass.
"It just buys the opposition more time to make their case, but it also buys us more time. It delays the inevitable:15 didn't want to vote; 35 do," he said.
Despite the involvement of the mayor's office enforcing a snap curfew, some City Council members say more resources need to be spent on activities for teens. In addition, some are worried the ordinance may open the city up to more lawsuits.
"I do think that one thing I will be careful is to allow more broader powers to the police in a time when we see how those police misconduct settlements are costing the city every month," Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez said.
On Wednesday, City Council approved close to $88 million in settlements: most tied to police abuse.
It's taxpayer money during a time when the city faces a huge deficit. Some alders argued it's time for the city to stop settling so many cases.
"We have to learn to say no. We have to say, 'while tragic, it's not our fault," Ald. Ray Lopez said.
On Tuesday, the city's Public Safety Committee narrowly passed the "snap" curfew in a 10-7 vote, but not without debate.
READ MORE | Chicago police use new tactics in Streeterville to prevent violence during 'teen takeovers'
Proponents of the curfew say this would give city leaders the ability to keep people safe in a moment's notice.
SEE ALSO | Multiple citations issued, 2 arrested in large Naperville teen gatherings: police
But, will Johnson, who has made it clear he does no support curfews, veto the measure even if it does pass?
"To give unilateral authority to one entity. I don't see that as an effective democratic tool," he said Wednesday.
The proposed ordinance comes after a series of teen takeovers in Streeterville earlier this spring, which turned violent when a tourist and teen were shot in separate incidents.
The latest delay comes days before the holiday weekend that kicks off the start of summer.
Should the curfew be approved at the next meeting, the earliest it could take effect would be early July.
