Shelby Co. DA shares concerns about Downtown curfew initiative’s priorities
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy says he was unaware of the Juvenile Crime Abatement Program until Memphis Police posted it on social media.
“I don’t want to criticize MPD,” Mulroy said, “but I did not know anything about this until I read about it.”
Mulroy isn’t the only stakeholder who was in the dark about the controversial program.
President of the Downtown Memphis Commission Paul Young told Action News 5 on Saturday he was aware that MPD was working on a solution to growing juvenile crime Downtown, but the release and details were a surprise to him.
The program was halted one day after it was announced.
“I’m glad they put it on pause,” Young said Saturday. “Something needs to happen but I think we need to discuss it further.”
However, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner is disappointed it was halted.
“I was concerned to see MPD stop a much-needed program to reduce juvenile crime and, quite honestly, disappointed that the Downtown Commission doesn’t see the critical need to keep our kids away from late-night entertainment districts,” Bonner said. “We must protect our citizens and the tourists coming to Memphis during the travel season, and I strongly encourage MPD to move forward with a solid plan to protect our community.”
In the video posted to social media, MPD says the majority of thefts Downtown are caused by minors.
MPD’s plan to tamp it out is to arrest the kids who get caught Downtown without an adult to watch them.
“If there are kids 8 to 10 years old wandering around Downtown without an adult, obviously we need to take action,” Mulroy said. “What we don’t need to be focusing on are young people Downtown handing out flyers, dressed inappropriately, or dancing in the street.”
That balance is what District Attorney Mulroy said he’s hoped to find when he meets with MPD, representatives of Shelby County Juvenile Court, and Downtown Memphis Commission on Tuesday afternoon.
“Creating a regime in which young people are unfairly targeted with racial profiling or an atmosphere that might be contusive to discrimination isn’t what anybody wants,” Mulroy said. “I don’t think MPD wants that, either, and I’m certain we’ll be able to figure out a way to separate those two.”
The meeting was expected to take place around 3:30 p.m. at MPD’s Downtown headquarters.
It was not open to the media, and we have not received details about the discussions that took place at this time.
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