WASHINGTON — Leaders in Prince George's County will begin enforcing a curfew this weekend, citing an increase in gun violence and carjackings in the county. Now, some voices in the District are urging leaders there to do the same.
Community leaders like former Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Christopher Hawthorne in the 7th Ward said the District should join Prince George's County to ramp up enforcement on the D.C. side of the line.
“Prince George's County, to us, is Ward 9," Hawthorne said. It's still a part of Washington, D.C., it's part of our culture. A lot of kids have lived here who now live in PG county and vice versa. So, we share a great amount of of hope for all of the kids living in our region."
According to Metropolitan Police Department data, 66% of arrests for the epidemic of carjackings this year are people under the age of 18.
D.C. has had a teen curfew on the books since 1995. Neither MPD nor Mayor Muriel Bowser's office responded to WUSA9's questions about D.C.'s curfew, or how it is currently enforced.
MPD's website details the law in the District, which closely mirrors the curfew in Prince George's County.
Reaction to the curfew in Prince George's County has some adults hopeful.
"A curfew may help, especially for some of the younger kids," one person told us.
"It does start with the individual parent being responsible for their children. I mean, they're someone's child," another said.
Prince George's County Executive Angela Alsobrooks is describing the curfew as no more than a temporary solution. She wants prosecutors, judges and the state's department of juvenile services to stop what the police chief calls a "catch-and-release" system.
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