WEST MEMPHIS, Ark. (localmemphis.com) — To help curb crime among youth in West Memphis, Mayor Marco McClendon wants to strengthen the city’s curfew.
The suggestion comes after a violent weekend in West Memphis, including a triple shooting. Currently, there is a curfew for teenagers, but Mayor McClendon says it is not being enforced.
Mayor McClendon says the crime issue in the city is a community problem and he hopes fines will help offset those numbers.
During his West Memphis State of the City Address Tuesday, Mayor McClendon said reducing crime is still a major priority.
“Our first murder this year was a 15-year-old shot a 17-year-old,” said Mayor McClendon. “So both of them under 18 and having guns so one of the things we want to do is make it easier for officers to help patrol our areas that need to be patrolled.”
That’s why the Mayor is shining a light on the city’s curfew and the lack of enforcement.
“What does a child under 17 years old without a job and without a parent need to be doing at that time. See many of the guns that we have confiscated from the streets have been from our minors,” Mayor McClendon explained.
He believes violence will continue to hinder growth in the city. Under the curfew ordinance, if a teenager under 17 is out past 11:00 p.m. and he or she is not working, they will receive a fine.
“100 dollars for the first fine, $200 for the second fine on up,” Mayor McClendon said.
Betty Basemoore, a native of West Memphis says nothing but good can come from enforcing the curfew.
“It takes a village to raise children, and we’ve gotten away from that,” Basemoore stressed. “You see kids walking the streets any time of night. Little kids, big kids, it doesn’t matter so I think that was a good idea and it needs to be enforced.”
At LR Jackson Youth Activity Center, Billy Joe Hayes is responsible for 200 plus youth. He says the violence among youth here is a serious issue and a solution is needed.
“It’s terrible, I don’t understand it. I don’t understand it at all. Is it initiating gangs? Is it drugs here? I don’t know. It don’t make sense,” Hayes explained.
Mayor McClendon says he has talked to West Memphis Police about enforcing the curfew and he’s been working closely with a major there. Local 24 News reached out to the West Memphis Police Chief to see if a curfew is feasible with current staffing and work flow and we are waiting to hear back.
The curfew ordinance will be addressed at the next city council meeting next Thursday.