Hpd Kicks Off 3-Part Daytime Curfew Violator Program October 25, 2007 - The HPD Fondren Division, in collaboration with several middle schools, began the first two phases of their Daytime Curfew Violation program in the last two weeks. This partnership with HPD and Jane Long, Welch and Fondren Middle Schools is a three-part program that focuses on student safety, reducing daytime curfew violations and increasing parental involvement with goals being prevention and intervention, not enforcement. The three-programs are expected to be operating at full force by the end of the month. The initial phase of the program, called “Safe to School” is geared towards increasing safety for students in and around area school zones. Officers will be concentrating their efforts on motorists who violate school zone laws as well as getting students who live in area apartment complexes to school in a safe, timely manner. Phase two of this initiative, which began operation on Monday (October 15), targets daytime curfew violators. Officers will detain juveniles discovered in public areas and transport them to their assigned school. The officer and the school attendance clerk will work together to review each student’s case individually, focusing on the student’s prior attendance record and/or behavioral issues. First-time violators will generally receive a warning. Those with prior violations may be issued a citation. The third phase, which is expected to begin Monday (October 29), entails direct intervention with the juvenile’s parents in their home. Violators with multiple truancies and/or behavioral issues are referred to the program by the school. Each student will then be assigned an officer who then makes a home visit to speak to the parents, explain the applicable laws, and offer referrals to programs to help the student or parent. During the first week, 5 to 10 curfew violators per day were detained and returned to their respective campuses. HPD is proactively attempting to reduce burglaries, criminal mischiefs and other crimes that occur in neighborhoods near school campuses during the daytime. These three community programs will continue throughout the school year with the goal of getting kids back into school and encouraging them to stay in school. For additional information, please contact the HPD Public Affairs Division at 713-308-3200. |