So, How's That Kiddie Curfew Workin' Out?

By Kimberly Thorpe Wed., Sep. 9 2009 at 4:29 PM

Categories: Crime

Since it's been a couple of weeks since the Daytime Juvenile Curfew went into effect, we thought it might be a good time to find out how many kiddos the Dallas Police Department's done rounded up for skipping school. But as it happens, that's easier requested than done: We called DPD spokesman Kevin Janse for the stats this morning, but it took the better part of the day for him to return our call. He didn't forget about us; it just took him that long to figure out who was keeping track of the citations. Turns out, it's Youth Division.

Janse read to Unfair Park this e-mail sent to him by Lt. Robert Hinton: "As of today we have a record of 25 citations having been issued." However, Janse says, Hinton warned of "lag-time" in this tally. In other words, it's hard to say when the most recent citation was issued.

For those in need of a primer, this is how the procedure works: When an officer sees an under-17 wandering the streets during school hours, he or she will discern whether or not the absence is legit. If not, the officer will hand that young'un a citation with a date to appear before a judge. The officer then sends a so-called Field Interrogation Report to the Youth Division. The charge the youth faces is a Class C Misdemeanor, which carries a a maximum fine of $500 -- and is on the same level as riding a bicycle without a helmet.

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