Dubuque community members weigh adding a curfew for minors

(KCRG)
Published: Aug. 15, 2018 at 9:20 PM CDT
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Some people are concerned about the safety of children in eastern Iowa- specifically in Dubuque. Some of those concerns stem from a police call in the city Tuesday night.

Dubuque Police responded to Comiskey Park on the north side of Dubuque at 9:47 p.m. after hearing more than 20 kids were out on their bicycles. The officer on scene called for additional support to help disperse the group.

Out of the 11 largest cities in the state, Dubuque is the only eastern Iowa city without a set curfew.

For example, people under 16 cannot be out on their own between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. in Cedar Rapids, according to Municipal Code 62.28.

This was not the first time Dubuque Police responded to a large group of kids in that area for a similar reason. Now some are wondering if setting a specific cutoff would provide a safe solution for everyone involved.

The Dubuque Police Department and the City of Dubuque government looked at bringing a curfew to the city in 2011. A lengthy study showed the police department and council members a curfew would not provide the best solution to the issue of adolescent crime.

"Our major crimes that we see juveniles involved in, disorderly conducts and the like, are happening before 10 p.m.," said Lt. Joe Messerich with the Dubuque Police Department. "It's not a problem that police can handle alone. We truly have to handle some of these issues as a community."

Some community members agree the community needs to step up, through educating parents and the community on responsible behavior and parenting. They believe a curfew could be beneficial, if it is executed properly.

"A curfew will assist officers and parents in knowing where their children are at any given point in time," said Anthony Allen, who serves as President with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter in Dubuque. "What I don't want to do is create a strain on officers where we have to hire more officers just to be babysitting kids on the street."

Lt. Messerich echoed Allen, but said adding a curfew may not provide the solution.

"It's a band-aid, and it might not be an effective one," said Lt. Messerich. "The most important thing we need, if we're going to keep juveniles safe, is parents who are accountable for their kids."

In lieu of creating a curfew in 2011, the city of Dubuque adopted a parental responsibility ordinance to keep parents accountable for their kids' actions. In this instance, Lt. Messerich says it does not make much sense to bring in a curfew because of a few calls.

"It doesn't appear to be indicative of a city-wide problem, and a big sweeping curfew is going to affect everybody, not just a group of kids that have been causing trouble over the last month," Lt. Messerich said.

Allen, however, believes it could provide a level of security for kids and peace of mind for parents. But he is concerned if established, it could end up being used as a targeting tool.

"I just don't want it to focus just in the minority community, or the perceived community where there's a mass amount of minorities," Allen said. "I don't want the officers to use it as a weapon of choice."

Council member Kate Larson serves Ward Three in Dubuque, where Comiskey Park is located. She was not on the city council in 2011.

"For their own safety it's something we could look at, like other cities do for certain ages at a certain time," Larson said. "If there are problems and the citizens are complaining that they would like to see something for the safety of the kids, it's something that we could look into."

Larson said the biggest concern for her is safety for the kids, saying she's heard from local business owners about the safety for kids late at night as well.

"There's a lot of streets around here that still aren't too well lit," Larson said. "I think that's something we should consider."

Of the 11 largest cities in the state, Dubuque, Des Moines, West Des Moines, and Ames are the only ones without curfews for minors.

There is no plan for the city of Dubuque to address adding a curfew.