Chicago City Council expected to vote on long-delayed temporary curfew proposal, alder says
Chicago City Council to again consider 'snap curfew,' amid continued disagreements
As city leaders debate approving a new policy to allow temporary police curfews in response to anticipated large teen gatherings, some young leaders want their voices heard on the issue. A group of them sent an open letter to the Chicago City Council urging aldermen to vote "no" on the proposal.
CHICAGO - As city leaders debate approving a new policy to allow temporary police curfews in response to anticipated large teen gatherings, some young leaders want their voices heard on the issue.
A group of them sent an open letter to the Chicago City Council urging aldermen to vote "no" on the proposal.
What we know:
After several days, alderpeople said Wednesday is finally the day when the City Council will take a final vote on the so-called "snap curfew" proposal, but Mayor Brandon Johnson signaled he’ll do everything he can to stop it.
Johnson claimed Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling is against the new curfew proposal, but Ald. Bill Conway (34th Ward) said that’s not true.
"Superintendent Snelling called me and asked me to support it," Conway said.
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd Ward), who sponsored the ordinance, also said the superintendent also told him he’s on board with the curfew idea.
"The superintendent remains in full support of this ordinance as is," Hopkins said.
Hopkins said the final version of the proposal would give the superintendent the final say on declaring a curfew during any part of the day in any part of the city after conferring with the mayor’s office and upon receiving intelligence that a group of teens might cause mayhem. Hopkins added that teens will get ample warning to disperse before a curfew goes into effect.
"You'll see News Affairs will be issuing statements," he said. "Social media will be pushing out information saying you heard about this teen trend Friday night at seven o'clock, there's a curfew imposed on it. Don't go."
‘Lazy governance’
The other side:
But a forceful Johnson indicated he might try to stop the ordinance by issuing a rare veto and reiterated that he believes the solution is more youth investment.
"We cannot afford lazy governance, and then we just wash our hands, absolve ourselves of any responsibility and say, 'Police, you do it," Johnson said. "That is antiquated. That form of governance is dead and should remain dead."
Snelling addressed the curfew issue in a public court hearing as part of the CPD consent decree, saying that he did not request the specific measure.
"I would never use it," Snelling said, according to a transcript of the hearing. "Calling a curfew within 30 minutes of an incident for what we would use it for, it would be too late."
Snelling went on to explain that he would call a curfew with more advanced notice.
"It would be used as a deterrent," the transcript states. "There would be signage that this is going on to prevent the possibility of violence."