Chicago City Council will consider a revised, tailored curfew proposal this week in response to large downtown teen gatherings this year, some of which have turned violent.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the new proposal would allow the city’s Police Commissioner to impose “snap-curfews” with just 30 minutes notice. The sudden changes could last as long as three hours, but raise constitutional questions and would likely face legal challenges.
“That is exactly the due process question you worry about: the notion of a snap curfew suggests you can just pop something up at anytime,” Ed Yohnka of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois said.
The National Lawyers Guild of Chicago also opposes snap curfews.
“There are already laws in place that address harmful or violent conduct by individuals or groups, regardless of whether a curfew is in place. Broadening CPD’s powers to declare curfews and arrest our City’s young people at gatherings is not the answer,” a statement from the guild read.
Second Ward Ald. Brian Hopkins has led the charge on imposing new curfew rules, but did not respond to requests for comment Tuesday. He previously told NBC Chicago that snap curfews would be a fair tool for police to use.
“The police superintendent can take it out of the tool box to say we need it for the next two hours,” Hopkins told NBC Chicago last week.
The Mayor’s Office also did not respond to inquiries, but previously said the Mayor supports the idea of teens exploring all parts of Chicago peacefully.