By Paul Thompson

Northeast News

June 16, 2016

KANSAS CITY, Missouri – More stringent summer curfews for Kansas City minors are now in place, and area parents could face fines as high as $500 if their children violate them.

Central Patrol Division Major Mike Wood appeared before the Neighborhood and Public Safety Committee on Wednesday, June 15 to discuss the KCPD’s enforcement of the summer curfew. The curfew’s are earliest in the city’s five entertainment districts: The Plaza, Westport, downtown’s Central Business District, 18th and Vine, and Zona Rosa. In those entertainment districts, anyone under the age of 18 is required to be accompanied by a parent or guardian after 9:00 p.m.

Earlier summer curfews also apply throughout the rest of the city. For those under the age of 16, the citywide curfew is 10:00 p.m. For minors who are 16 or 17 years old, the curfew is 11:00 p.m. The city’s initial rollout of the earlier summer curfew occurred on Memorial Day weekend.

Although Wood noted that there hasn’t been any major issues yet this summer related to curfew enforcement, he did acknowledge that there have been some minor hurdles when it comes to identifying – and subsequently writing citations to the parents of – violators who are attempting to intentionally mislead officers. Wood added that there isn’t really a good place to hold minor offenders in the city.

“One of the biggest obstacles we run into is that these children are pretty savvy,” said Wood. “At a certain point, when we see that a child’s going to go that line, we can call Child Services and get them to come out. It’s not time-efficient at all, but it’s our cross we have to bear at this point.”

According to Wood, KCPD officers can’t let minors go until a parent or guardian is at the scene. Sometimes, that means youths in violation of the summer curfew can remain in police custody into the early-morning hours.

“They can’t leave the district until a responsible adult comes and picks them up, because its the adult who gets the citation,” said Wood. “Once we take them into custody, they’re our responsibility.”

Committee Chair and 5th District Councilwoman Alissia Canady asked Wood if minors who are riding the streetcar during summer nights would also be subject to the curfew if they are not chaperoned by an adult.

“At 9:00, they become in violation of the curfew, whether they’re causing a problem or not,” Wood responded.

When asked about the nature of offenses caused by the most unruly of curfew violators, Wood described incidents where unsuspecting individuals were punched in the back of the head or urinated on in parking garages. More minor incidents included blocking public sidewalks and darting out in front of traffic. He added that as many as 125 youths can be found congregating around entertainment district’s like the Plaza on a given night.

Wood said that the while majority of curfew violators congregate around the Plaza, the KCPD would follow the problems wherever they go.

“We just simply aren’t seeing the youth problems in those (other) entertainment districts,” said Wood.

Before concluding the meeting, committee member and 3rd District Councilman Quinton Lucas thanked Wood and the KCPD for their key role in enforcing the city ordinance that created the summer curfew.

“I appreciate what you do, and I understand that we passed a city ordinance that you’re helping us enforce,” said Lucas.

Canady lamented the fact that young teenagers are being arrested for curfew violations, and brought up the idea of enlisting parent volunteers to serve as chaperones for groups of minors who want to frequent entertainment districts at night.

“Having a 13 or 14-year-old arrested is not a good thing. It’s just not,” said Canady. “If I come up with a magic solution or I hear from one from the community, then I’d be happy to pass it along. Thank you for all that you do.”