CHICAGO (WLS) — For months, city leaders in Chicago have been sparring over a so-called “snap curfew” for young people.
Wednesday, a vote could finally come on the controversial ordinance.
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The Chicago City Council meeting Wednesday and is discussing the controversial curfew.
It’s been a source of debate for aldermen for weeks now.
If the council approves the measure, the Chicago police superintendent and the deputy mayor would have the authority to implement an immediate curfew if circumstances require it.
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’
Supporters of the curfew argue that it provides city officials with the means to ensure public safety quickly, though Mayor Brandon Johnson expresses skepticism, suggesting that curfews do not address the core problems leading to these teen gatherings.
“It’s crucial that the police view this as a valuable tool, and everyone from the superintendent to the patrol officers I’ve spoken with insists this will be effective,” stated 2nd Ward Alderman Brian Hopkins. “They are familiar with using it, ready to apply it during outbreaks of violence, and have explicitly requested it from me.”
“My position is I do not support lowering curfew no evidence that prevents violence from happening every study substantiates that as well butted,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said. “If we don’t give young people real activity, if we don’t help them find their purpose, we’ll find ourselves in tailspin.”
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.
If the council votes to pass the measure, Alderman Hopkins says it’ll likely go into effect in early June.
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