CINCINNATI — On Wednesday, the City of Cincinnati will be putting a microscope on public safety and the citywide curfew for unaccompanied minors.
Mayor Aftab Pureval has filed a motion, bringing the city council together for a special session, beginning at noon, Wednesday at City Hall.
"This is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Which is why, during the summer months, they're usually on recess, but I thought it was important enough to call them in for an emergency meeting," the mayor said.
WATCH: What Mayor Pureval has to say about enforcing curfew for unaccompanied minors:
The agenda for the special meeting has eight action items in the mayor's motion.
"Specifically, we'll be talking about a number of things, including the curfew, we'll be talking about park hours and we'll be talking about our CPD response with both the task force and our visibility plan," Pureval added.
The city's current curfew ordinance reads in part as follows:
(b) It shall be unlawful for any minor under the age of 16 years to be, or remain in, about or upon any place in the city away from the dwelling house or usual place of abode of said minor, between the hours of 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. of the following day. The provisions of this section do not apply to said minor when accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or other adult person having the care, custody or supervision of said minor; or where said minor is on an emergency errand; or where said minor is exercising First Amendment Rights protected by the United States Constitution; or where said minor is going to or from employment; or is on specific business or activity directed or permitted by his or her parent, guardian or other adult person having the care, custody or supervision of said minor.
(c) It shall be unlawful for any minor sixteen years of age or older and under the age of eighteen years to be, or remain in, about or upon any place in the city away from the dwelling house or usual place of abode of said minor, between the hours of 12:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. The provisions of this section do not apply to any emancipated minor or to a minor when accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or other adult person having the care, custody or supervision of said minor; or where said minor is on an emergency errand; or where said minor is exercising First Amendment Rights protected by the United States Constitution; or where said minor is going to or from employment; or is on specific business or activity directed or permitted by his or her parent, guardian or other adult person having the care, custody or supervision of said minor.
Cincinnati police signs, including one along Pete Rose Way at the base of Taylor Southgate Bridge, warn of consequences for minors breaking curfew.
"I think I've been regularly updating you that we are working right now with our various partners to make sure that when we do enforce the curfew, that we're doing it in the most effective and just way," Pureval said.
Pureval, Police Chief Teresa Theetge and City Manager Sheryl Long all spoke in a press conference Tuesday, highlighting a recent decrease in violent crime.
"Our real, true effort was to stabilize and stop the rise. So the decrease is just a really good reflection of the work the officers are doing," Theetge said.
On Tuesday evening, I went out into the community to speak with residents and ask what they thought needed to be done to prevent kids from staying out past curfew.
"Children are to be led and taught by their parents. They shouldn't necessarily be out in extreme hours trying to get educated from the streets," resident Robert Haten told me.
Haten continued, saying that parents should be held accountable for children being out late.
Also sitting with us was another Cincinnatian, Jeff Smith. Smith said that he believes kids need more options for positive growth and learning experiences.
“They don’t have these things to go home to look forward to working on while they’re there, which is causing them to get into the mischief that they’re doing," Smith said.
WCPO 9 will be at Wednesday's special session and will have a full report of any discussions or decisions made by city leaders.
You can read Cincinnati's full curfew ordinance below:
Cincinnati's Curfew Ordinance by webeditors on Scribd
