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The Atmore City Council on Monday heard an update on the proposed citywide curfew during its regular meeting.

A public meeting was held on the issue on Jan. 30, and residents lent their thoughts and opinions on the matter.

Chief Chuck Brooks said on Monday the public meeting was a good one, and it gave the opportunity to come in and give suggestions and speak their mind as to what’s going on as far as the recent events around Atmore that’s put a black cloud over us.

“During the meeting, we talked about a city curfew,” Brooks said to the city councilmembers. “I know I’ve talked with each one of you about the city curfew, and at one time we were possibly interested in implementing something. However, after doing a bunch of research and talking with a lot of cities, we now know that the curfew may not be feasible, No. 1. And No. 2, doable.”
Brooks added that a curfew would add a tremendous strain on the police department and its assets.

Brooks said since the public meeting, the department has increased patrols in the city, and they have been helpful.

“We have been able to make a lot of narcotics arrests,” he said. “And we’ve also picked up a lot of guns off the street. So, we’re accomplishing our goal.”

Brooks added that officers have been seen in neighborhoods, and in order to pay officers to keep their presence visible in neighborhoods, the department looked and found an 11-month grant that could help reimburse the officers.

Brooks said the grant – an ADECA Traffic Enforcement Grant – pays the city potentially some $75,000.

“It’s a step, or traffic grant,” Brooks said. “What they’ll do is enforce some traffic laws because our city qualifies because of our crashes.”

Brooks said the citywide curfew is a no-go for him, and he doesn’t recommend it.

District 3 Councilwoman Eunice Johnson asked Brooks about the neighborhood watch idea.

“We have done a lot of research on the neighborhood watches, and all I can say is, stay tuned,” he said. “Basically, we’re going to have an opportunity for everybody to join a neighborhood watch, that way we can, you know, meet with the members of the community of that neighborhood and see if they’re having any issues, and what we can do to help as far as that is concerned.”

Brooks said he even looked into adding Crime Stoppers in Atmore.
In other business, the council:

• approved the ADECA Traffic Enforcement Grant.