Monday night, Fayetteville city leaders tried to answer a key question: how can a youth curfew help curb the city’s gun violence problem?
A divided city council approved a package of changes aimed at Fayetteville’s youth on May 27, following a series of high-profile shootings involving teenagers.
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Part of that package, the youth curfew, would apply to people 16 years old and younger from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. each day.
Exceptions would be made, including for teenagers accompanied by a parent, or those on their way to or from a job. Parents of curfew violators could face up to a Class III misdemeanor and a $500 fine.
The package also included other measures, including an increase in Crimestoppers reward money, and youth programming, like midnight basketball.
At Monday’s meeting, council members debated how best to implement that curfew, and raised a series of concerns.
At one point, Council member Deno Hondros asked, “Do we actually believe we can train our officers to enforce this ordinance?”
“Yes sir, I do,” responded Fayetteville interim police chief C. Todd Joyce.
Other concerns raised included whether more young people would face the fallout of criminal charges, and the fact that, under the right circumstances, parents and children could be investigated by the Department of Social Services for curfew violations.
Community members, including Sensedrick Barham Sr whose 18-year-old son was shot and killed in February, also pushed back on the curfew. Barham argued the city needs to take a different tactic to address gun violence.
“A curfew won’t solve this,” Barham said. “My son was gunned down in broad daylight.”
Ryan Ford, a pastor who works with youth in Fayetteville, urged the city to invest in young people and underserved communities instead.
“If we focus more on curfew than connecting, we’ve already lost,” Ford said.
The curfew will take effect on July 9, following a 30-day grace period.