Thread: Crime-ridden Arkansas town expands 24-hour curfew

Aug 13, 6:42 AM EDT

Crime-ridden Arkansas town expands 24-hour curfew

By JON GAMBRELL
Associated Press Writer

HELENA-WEST HELENA, Ark. (AP) -- Officers armed with military rifles have been stopping and questioning passers-by in a neighborhood plagued by violence that's been under a 24-hour curfew for a week.

On Tuesday, the Helena-West Helena City Council voted 9-0 to allow police to expand that program into any area of the city, despite a warning from a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arkansas that the police stops were unconstitutional.

Police Chief Fred Fielder said the patrols have netted 32 arrests since they began last week in a 10-block neighborhood in this small town on the banks of the Mississippi River long troubled by poverty. The council said those living in the city want the random shootings and drug-fueled violence to stop, no matter what the cost.

"Now if somebody wants to sue us, they have an option to sue, but I'm fairly certain that a judge will see it the way the way the citizens see it here," Mayor James Valley said. "The citizens deserve peace, that some infringement on constitutional rights is OK and we have not violated anything as far as the Constitution."

The area under curfew, in what used to be a West Helena neighborhood, sits among abandoned homes and occupied residences in disrepair.

White signs on large blue barrels warn those passing by that the area remains under curfew by order of Mayor James Valley. The order was scheduled to end at 3 p.m. Tuesday, but Valley said the city council's vote would allow police to have the same powers across Helena-West Helena.

Among the curfew operation's arrests, 10 came from felony charges, including the arrest of two people carrying both drugs and weapons, Fielder said. The police chief said the officers in the field carry military-style M-16 or M-4 rifles, some equipped with laser sights. Other officers carry short-barrel shotguns. Many dealing crack cocaine and marijuana in the city carry pistols and AK-47 assault rifles, he said.

"We've had people call us, expressing concern for their children," Fielder said. "They had to sleep on the floor, because of stray bullets."

Fielder said officers had not arrested anyone for violating the curfew, only questioned people about why they were outside. Those without good answers or acting nervously get additional attention, Fielder said.

However, such stops likely violate residents' constitutional rights to freely assemble and protections against unreasonable police searches, said Holly Dickson, a lawyer for the ACLU of Arkansas who addressed the council at its packed Tuesday meeting. Because of that, Dickson said any convictions coming from the arrests likely would be overturned.

"The residents of these high-crime areas are already victims," she said. "They're victims of what are happening in the neighborhoods, they're victims of fear. But for them to be subject to unlawful stops and questioning ... that is not going to ultimately going to help this situation."

The council rejected Dickson's claims, at one point questioning the Little Rock-based attorney if she'd live in a neighborhood they described as under siege by wild gunfire and gangs.

"As far as I'm concerned, at 3 o'clock in the morning, nobody has any business being on the street, except the law," Councilman Eugene "Red" Johnson said. "Anyone out at 3 o'clock shouldn't be out on the street, unless you're going to the hospital."

The curfew is the second under the mayor's watch since the rival cities of Helena and West Helena merged in 2006. That year, Valley set a nightly citywide curfew after a rash of burglaries and other thefts.

Police in Hartford, Conn., began enforcing a nightly curfew for youths after recent violence, including a weekend shooting that killed a man and wounded six young people.

Helena-West Helena, with 15,000 residents at the edge of Arkansas' eastern rice fields and farmland, is in one of the nation's poorest regions, trailing even parts of Appalachia in its standard of living.

In the curfew area, those inside the homes in the watch area peered out of door cracks Tuesday as police cruisers passed. They closed the doors afterward.

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emboldened by SeaTurtle for emphasis

How pathetic that law enforcement in these towns have let the violence go this far. Why is they never seem to do anything until it is so far out of hand?

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

How pathetic that law enforcement in these towns have let the violence go this far. Why is they never seem to do anything until it is so far out of hand?

Morning SOSAD!!!

To answer your question, sadly the answer lies in things just like this:

However, such stops likely violate residents' constitutional rights to freely assemble and protections against unreasonable police searches, said Holly Dickson, a lawyer for the ACLU of Arkansas who addressed the council at its packed Tuesday meeting. Because of that, Dickson said any convictions coming from the arrests likely would be overturned.



The problems, such as the ones in this town, get so far out of control when groups like the ACLU and other so called "civil rights organizations" consistently defend the "rights" of criminals to be criminals by threatening litigation, if not outright suing the day lights out of, anyone and everyone, who even attempts to uphold and enforce the laws.

And then, when the need for action can no longer be ignored, the likes of Ms. Dickson, publicly undermine the authority of law enforcement and government, and send a clear message to the criminal element that they are free to continue with impunity because their rights are being violated.

Only in America.........

Anarchist Criminal Loyalty Union

So, the ACLU sanctions mob rule and lawlessness because it violates people's right to assemble even if chaos and violence occur. Sounds like the happenings in sections of France and elsewhere would be acceptable to them. There is no right and wrong, no reason for laws against those who wish to violate our laws. Freedom for all can only be achieved with some sense of order and consideration for the welfare of all, not special interest criminals.

The ACLU needs to go.

Ephesians 4:32

"Morning Wreath" nice to see you, hope all is going well with you!!!

You are SOOOOO right, as to why this is happening...Now how are we going to get rid of these pain in the backsides?

Good Morning to all of you.

Ephesians 4:32

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

"Morning Wreath" nice to see you, hope all is going well with you!!!

You are SOOOOO right, as to why this is happening...Now how are we going to get rid of these pain in the backsides?

Nice to see you also S!!! Things are going fine here, thanks!! How are you and Idaho these days?

As for the ACLU, I agree they need to go but that is probably unlikely to happen.

However, we CAN demand that they be granted no federal and state monies to operate because, if I'm not mistaken, those involved in illegal activity, etc. are NOT entitled to such funding and it's long past time for that kind of funding to be cut from the budgets of ACLU, La Raza, and the rest.

If private entities want to fund them, let them do it, but I suspect that will only last for so long before ending somewhere down the line as well.

Also, I've been wondering......why has nothing been done to yank law licenses from those practicing with the ACLU and working in collusion with La Raza and the others? Maybe that's something to push for as well?

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Good Morning to all of you.

Ephesians 4:32

Good Morning GP!!!!

Love your avi BTW!!! Those roses look so real life that they made me actually remember the scent of the pink roses at my great grandmother's house!!!

Originally Posted by azwreath

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Good Morning to all of you.

Ephesians 4:32

Good Morning GP!!!!

Love your avi BTW!!! Those roses look so real life that they made me actually remember the scent of the pink roses at my great grandmother's house!!!

Good morning to you GP

All good questions "Wreath" I wish I had some answers!

Originally Posted by SOSADFORUS

Originally Posted by azwreath

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Good Morning to all of you.

Ephesians 4:32

Good Morning GP!!!!

Love your avi BTW!!! Those roses look so real life that they made me actually remember the scent of the pink roses at my great grandmother's house!!!

Good morning to you GP

All good questions "Wreath" I wish I had some answers!

Thank you Sosad.

I sure wish I had the answers as well