Police: Curfew 'going very, very well'

Results of the first week of a citywide teen curfew are encouraging to police officials.

"It seems to be going very, very well," Kinston Public Safety Department Greg Smith said. "We've seen a real reduction in the amount of people on the street."

The City Council last week approved a curfew for all youngsters younger than 18. Teens up to age 16 must be home by 11 p.m., while those up to age 18 can stay out until midnight. Some exceptions allow teens to be out past curfew in certain circumstances.

If a youngster is with a parent, guardian or other adult responsible for his care, the curfew is waived. If a youngster is in a public place because of an emergency, and with a parent or guardian, the curfew is waived. Several other circumstances also could result in a curfew waiver.

"The first 30 days [of the curfew law] is just for information anyway," Smith said. "If we see someone out on the street after hours we tell them to move on home. We're not taking any type of action."

Teens who are out after hours, and are stopped by police, are interviewed and the officer fills out a card describing the encounter. Citations are not being issued during the first month of the ordinance being in effect.

The 30-day "honeymoon" on violators will end early in July. Officers in the next 30-day period will issue warnings. The curfew's full effect won't be felt until August.

Police have talked with dozens of teens at Wal-Mart's parking lot and a couple of other places during the curfew's first week, Smith said.

School resource officers will be added to the "curfew patrol," beginning Monday. These officers know most of the young people in town because of their work at school. Police believe their familiarity with teens will help identify curfew violators and get them off the streets.

"We're getting a lot of voluntary compliance," Smith said. "Parents have started to make sure young people in. That's what we're looking for. It's time for us as parents to step in and play our role. There's a lot of work we need to do with young people. It won't be done in a week."