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Parish Police Jury Considers Curfew for Youngsters

MONROE (TV8) - Remember your parents saying there's nothing out late at night but trouble?

Well, Ouachita deputies agree with your parents.

They say that youth crimes often happen late at night when they should be at home.

As KNOE 8 News Reporter Dustin Barnes tells us, deputies say an enforced curfew would deter those petty acts.

Now that daylight is longer and the time for summer is shorter, kids are looking forward to stay outdoors as much as possible.

But it's how long youngsters stay out that concerns deputies.

Walt Caldwell says "From the ouachita parish sheriff's department, there's been a rise in juvenile crime..."

Ouachita Sheriff Richard Fewell says the number of crimes committed by teens has risen during the late evening hours, and he's asked the parish police jury for help.

for years, kids in monroe and west monroe have had to be off the street before 11 during weekdays and by midnight on weekends, unless they're with a parent or guardian.

But Caldwell says the parish would need help from the legislature. Parish governments don't have the power to pass such a law without state oversight.

Caldwell has spoken with Representative Rosalind Jones and Senator Mike Walsworth, who have agreed to support the bill.

So the police jury agreed to present it to state lawmakers.

Caldwell says "we basically submit a resolution asking for them to give us the limited police power to pass a juvenile curfew ordinance and to press upon their colleagues in the legislature to pass such a law so we can do so.

The police jury unanimously agreed on the need for a curfew... in the ongoing efforts to fight crime.

Dustin Barnes, KNOE 8 News

A podcast of the original report can be found on the KNOE website.

Posted by: Zherneboh
Source Article

Posted in: News on April 8, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

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