Time to enforce the curfew
by jp cola
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posted Jul 9 2012 11:32AM
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The Hennepin County Attorney's office says they are reminding parents there is a curfew in effect for kids. Recently two teens got into a shoot out in front of a house in north Minneapolis and a stray bullet went through a wall and killed a sleeping 4-year-old child. Juveniles out at all hours of the night cause nothing but problems not only in Minneapolis but right here in Willmar. How many times have you gotten up in the morning, went for a walk or drove to work and saw some fresh vandalism from overnight? Willmar passed a curfew ordinance many years ago, but I see no evidence that it is ever enforced or even used as a tool to threaten kids or their parents. I don't mean to unduly criticize the Willmar Police Department...they are short of staff and the city is chock full of parents who don't parent and don't keep their kids in at night. In my neighborhood, I can open my door or window at 11 p.m. or midnight and hear the joyful cries of small children playing in the streets. Even during the school year. They're only 5, 6, 7 years old now, but what about when they are 14, 15 and 16? They're not going to suddenly decide they should be in bed by 10 and wake up healthy, wealth and wise. I believe if the Willmar Police were to have a month-long crackdown on curfew violations just like they do on speeding, seatbelts, underage alcohol sales or dwis, the crime rate would go down for a long time into the future.
Tags : Locations : Minneapolis
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