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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

City To Get Update On Curbing Youth Violence Council Also To Hear How City Will Spend Grant To Fight Gangs

The mayor’s plan to crack down on youth violence gets an update tonight during the Spokane City Council meeting.

In August, Mayor Jack Geraghty presented his colleagues with a six-point plan aimed at curbing the recent rush of teenage crime.

His plan includes:

Hiring two police officers for a north Spokane truancy center.

Enacting a selective 10 p.m. curfew for youths 16 and under with criminal records.

Increasing coordination within the criminal justice system to target juvenile problems.

Customizing programs to fight violence in each city neighborhood.

Forming a youth task force to meet regularly with city officials.

Increasing the enforcement of laws addressing kids and guns.

So far, the truancy program is in place and the city legal department is studying the curfew, Geraghty said.

The city’s community-oriented police stations are devising programs targeted for teens in their neighborhood.

Also, the council will hear about how the city’s Youth Gang Drug Prevention Program office plans to use the $498,834 it received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“There’ll be a full report on the grant and how it fits into the violence initiative,” Geraghty said.

A briefing for residents begins at 3 p.m. in the lower-level briefing room of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. The council’s briefing starts at 3:30 p.m. and the regular meeting begins at 6 p.m.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MEETING The City Council meets at 6 p.m. tonight in City Hall.

This sidebar appeared with the story: MEETING The City Council meets at 6 p.m. tonight in City Hall.