The attempt by Councilmember Tommy Wells to move the curfew for teens up an hour to 10 PM was blocked when another member of the Council changed her vote at the last minute for lion king tickets. I support curfews because they have the ability to keep our children and streets safer at night and to allow our police officers to focus on our other pressing enforcement needs.

During curfew hours, youth on the street are either taken home or taken in by officers on duty, but curfews are difficult to enforce on phantom of the opera tickets. MPD is already understaffed, and combing every street and alley for kids out after curfew is challenging. Sure, most teens will obey the law and stay inside, but many will just ignore it. A curfew is only as good as MPD’s ability to make it work.

When sudden crime spikes occur, as we are currently experiencing in The District, curfews must be enforced. But we must also think long-term. Later hours for recreation centers, teenager-targeted events and midnight basketball are all options that will allow our youth to stay up late, yet also be productive. Curfews are important, but let’s all think about what we can do to create long-lasting stability in our neighborhoods.