Debate continues after Pittsburgh City Council president proposes curfew for teens

PITTSBURGH — There is a lot of conversation surrounding a curfew proposal in the City of Pittsburgh.

No matter what side you are on, talking is what council president Theresa Kail-Smith wants the community to do.

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“I would say every day someone in our region is being shot,” Kail-Smith said.

This is a harsh reality for Kail-Smith as she fights to have a conversation about teen violence in the city.

“Whatever that is that is causing that it’s going to take a long time to address those root causes, but we need something immediately,” Kail-Smith said.

That’s why Kail-Smith introduced legislation to amend the city’s teen curfew and enforce it, which is something she said other major cities, including Philadelphia, are already doing.

“I think it would be challenging because people aren’t that receptive of police now a days but approaching people who are out there between 10 and 5 it gets you thinking what they are doing out in those hours as a youth to begin with,” Kail-Smith said.

The proposal has mixed reaction from community members, and the biggest question is who would enforce the curfew.

“Is it enforcement or is it an opportunity that we are presenting to kids,” Kail-Smith said.

Kail-Smith believes to answer is extending rec center hours to include resources to help families and those teens who may not want to go home rather than hitting them with a criminal record.

But not everyone is on board. Newcomer councilwoman Barb Warwick believes the city is already addressing the problem.

“This administration has made a huge investment in stop the violence programming and it’s important for each of us in our council districts. To work closely with them to make sure that these services are getting out there to our youth,” Warwick said.

The Mayor’s office also does not support the curfew, citing there is no rule for Pennsylvanians to carry an ID in public. That’s something Kail-Smith said could be discussed at the state level. Her hope is to have some change in place by spring, and council will discuss it again next week.

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