CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago Metropolis Council committee on Tuesday accepted a controversial ordinance that will permit officers to implement so-called “snap curfews.”
The proposed ordinance would permit the Chicago police superintendent and deputy mayor to name for a curfew on the spot if youth gathering is deemed “unruly.”
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click on right here to observe
“It merely offers the Chicago police another software that they’ll use to stop these giant, violent teen traits from taking place. And as soon as they do occur, if all of our efforts to cease it fail, it offers them the power to interrupt it up,” stated 2nd Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins.
This has been a delicate matter for a lot of metropolis leaders, together with some who’ve advocated for specializing in youth-center applications as a method to chop down on violence.
However Hopkins, who led the cost on the controversial proposed curfew ordinance, says “snap curfews” could be along with supporting youth applications.
“We’ve got to assist our youth. We’ve got to provide them alternate options. We’ve got to provide them recreation. However when legal guidelines are being damaged, now we have to implement the legislation. It is not both/or; it is each/and,” Hopkins stated.
In a 10-7 vote Tuesday, the curfew ordinance handed the council’s Committee on Public Security, placing town one step nearer to having the ability to implement “snap curfews.”
Nevertheless it didn’t go with out debate.
“We’ve got to consider the protection of all folks within the metropolis and begin placing apart, possibly, emotions and begin placing on the forefront, public security,” stated forty fifth Ward Ald. Jim Gardiner.
“I really consider that we have to double down on the funding on prevention. I do consider that it really works. I do not consider a snap curfew will,” stated twenty sixth Ward Ald. Jessie Fuentes.
The proposed ordinance is in direct response to the rise of violent giant teen gatherings within the downtown space.
READ MORE | Chicago police use new techniques in Streeterville to stop violence throughout ‘teen takeovers’
Most not too long ago, a vacationer and a teen had been shot in two separate incidents in Streeterville following current teen takeovers within the neighborhood.
Now, the ordinance will transfer ahead to a full metropolis council vote.
Chicago’s mayor, nonetheless, questions the constitutionality of the ordinance.
Earlier Tuesday, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson invited youth leaders to showcase their work in supporting group security and protected summer time actions.
“Perhaps, we create applications and provides them jobs, so we are able to ship peacekeepers to these occasions to maintain the violence down, and stuff like that. So, I simply actually really feel like we must always focus extra on giving them issues to do within the summertime, and stuff like that, to maintain them busy, so the place they do not should really feel like they should plan crew takeovers to have enjoyable,” stated GoodKids MadCity Youth Peacekeeper James Robinson.
The ordinance will transfer ahead to a full metropolis council vote on Wednesday.
Hopkins says, if handed, it will be applied in time for the summer time months.
SEE ALSO | A number of citations issued, 2 arrested in giant Naperville teen gatherings: police
Copyright © 2025 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
