DETROIT – At a news conference Monday, Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan and police Chief James White announced several changes in response to the shootings and other violence downtown.
They informed parents about the city-wide curfew following a spate of violence over the weekend downtown.
“I’m very focused on making sure that that parental responsibility ticket is issued to the parents because that, I think, is where the message needs to be sent,” said White. “They have a profound responsibility to assist us and keeping their kids safe.”
Police sent out a reminder about the curfew over the weekend after a shooting early Saturday (April 15) morning at Randolph and Monroe streets in Greektown that left one person dead, and three others hurt.
It was the first of many shootings downtown, including the killing of a Greektown security guard.
But police said none of the suspects in any of the downtown shootings involved minors. Still, police want to put a stop to the crowds of unaccompanied youth out past curfew.
“They’re subject to being accosted,” White said. “They’re subject to finding themselves in problems as well when you don’t have that adult oversight, and so we want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to help keep them safe and keep them out of harm’s way as well.”
The curfew is not just for downtown. It’s in effect across the city.
For those 15 years and under, the curfew is 10 p.m. For 16 and 17-year-olds, it is 11 p.m.
“They used to have a commercial back in the day, ‘It’s nine o’clock, where is your kid’” said KJ, who is a father of two. “We need to start asking that question.”
Those who work with youth organizations in the city said parents couldn’t do it alone.
“That’s why I think our work is so important,” said Developing KIDS Deputy Director Tenecha Bland. “I think we have to share the resources and make ourselves available. There needs to be more options for young people to keep them out of trouble and away from danger.”
“First, we have to recognize there is a problem that there are not enough activities for young people to be positively involved in,” said Youth and Young Adult Community Activist Sandrew King, Sr.
More: Detroit officials speak out on unprovoked shootings that took place over the weekend
