Supervisors consider curfew for county teens

By By Lynette Wilson / staff writer
Oct. 18, 2002
Lauderdale County supervisors seemed split Thursday over whether a curfew should be put in place for county teens.
Under pressure from constituents, District 3 Supervisor Craig Hitt presented supervisors with a written curfew policy to consider. Hitt serves as president of the board.
The curfew would require all teens under the age of 18 to be off the county's roads by 11 p.m. on weeknights and midnight on weekends.
Hitt first suggested the board consider enacting a curfew on Oct. 4, two days after teens caused $15,000 in damages broken windows, smashed computers, splattered paint at West Lauderdale and Southeast high schools.
Twelve teens eight of them 18 or older were arrested Tuesday in connection with the vandalism spree.
District 5 Supervisor Ray Boswell said he can't support the curfew.
Jimmie Smith, District 2 supervisor, said he's not sure the sheriff's department has the manpower to enforce a curfew in such a large, sparsely populated area as the county.
Smith said enforcing another law could mean a tax increase.
Hank Florey, District 1 supervisor, turned to Sheriff Billy Sollie to ask whether a curfew could be enforced.
Sollie said, "Some people thought DUI wasn't enforceable, but Lauderdale County is one of the most successful counties DUI enforcing counties."