Every once in a while, an Oakland leader floats the idea of a curfew for minors in order to fight the intractable problem of violent crime. And just as Elihu Harris and Robert Bobb before him, City Councilman Larry Reid pitched the idea at a contentious City Council meeting, only to see it killed amid a chorus of boos and catcalls. Reid’s proposal would have banned minors from wandering the streets after 10 p.m. on weekdays, but critics claimed that the law would lead to racial profiling and abuse on the part of Oakland police officers. Others wanted the city to focus on keeping youth centers open longer, so kids have a safe place to hang out without running afoul of gangs and drugs. In any case, Reid’s plan died in short order.
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