Atmore Debates Curfew, Seeks Solution To Increased Violent Crime
January 31, 2025
There were three murders in just three months in Atmore and shooting incidents with dozens of rounds fired into homes.
And Police Chief Chuck Brooks is looking for solutions.
“Y’all, I’m getting tired of this violence in my community,” Brooks told a crowd of over 100 people gathered at city hall Thursday evening. “And by the looks of it, y’all are too.”
The meeting with Brooks, the city council, city attorney and other officials was called to discuss actions that might include a curfew. Brooks was the only city official to speak, saying that he did not think the curfew would be a workable solution.
“You’ve got to be able to freely move about, do your business, eat, and go to work or whatever, so that’s out” Brook said about a general curfew, before also explaining the problem with a juvenile curfew. “Juveniles are some of the problem here, but our problems are looking at the age group of 20 to 25.”
“So, if I’ve got a juvenile that needs to go to school, if they’re in dual enrollment, if they’re doing something at the high school, but they can’t even go out to the college out at the interstate. That ain’t gonna work,” he said.
His department has added more patrols and is turning to technology in their fight against crime. He said officers have body cameras, and there are tag readers and other equipment that has proven invaluable, even leading to the arrest of a murder suspect.
And they are recovering numbers of firearms and are working to identify gang members. Brooks acknowledged that while they may not be the notorious gangs, there are gangs in his city.
The police chief said potential solutions include an active neighborhood watch, a program in which residents and businesses can share security camera footage with police, a Crime Stoppers program, and an anonymous tip line. That tip line is in place now — citizens can call the police dispatcher at (251) 368-9141 and ask for extension 1168, which is often answered by voicemail.
Community members in attendance were divided on implementing a curfew, with many saying it would simply restrict the movements of good citizens and infringe on basic civil liberties.
No official action was taken Thursday night on implementing a curfew.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
11 Responses to “Atmore Debates Curfew, Seeks Solution To Increased Violent Crime”
I understand that yall trying to lower the crime rate …but who all is going to obay the curfew….just saying…..hell crime can happen in the day light hours as well….my opinion is to figure out who they are and lock them up for a while and big bonds …not just 24 hours with a $1000 bond and let them back out on the streets to redo the same thing…
I’m proud to see such a large group of people come together in an attempt to work on a solution.
I think a curfew would help. In an emergency situation you can prove why you are out and about. People say the Casino would be a problem, well you have to be of a certain age to be able to gamble. Then there is the Atmore Dragstrip, they are open on the weekends, and neither are in town. There are ways to implement a curfew, it just requires common sense. Underage children should be at home anyway.
A curfew in a casino town? Not gonna happen.
Atmore’s population is about 10,000 people. Everyone knows who the criminals and troublemakers are and where they live in a population that size. Drop a dime on them to the Sheriff’s department and the problem stops.
Praying for the citizens of Atmore . But if they think punishing everyone for the crimes of lawlessness they will curb the violence something is wrong. Until the legal system is changed from the current way of letting them out the next day on bond and lawyers working deals for minimum sentences nothing will change. If you choose to break the law God forbid kill or hurt someone in a violent way you have absolutely no right to be in society period. Go to prison stay there for a long long time. There that’s the answer don’t care about your poor pitiful me excuse you chose to be violent period.
I’m glad they didn’t impose any sort of tyrannical curfew, people should be free to do as they please as long as it doesn’t harm others. The solution is a heavily armed population that is willing to utilize that armory to keep the peace when the police aren’t present. Florida Sheriffs tend to utilize the people and encourage defense via firearm, we should adopt the same FAFO attitude. Might not erase the issue but it will certainly make some think twice.
more cops, more informants, more patrols in problem areas and how about the parents start parenting. Everyone knows someone up to no good, start reporting them. Curfew is a violation of civil rights, it’s not the state or county’s call to have a curfew because they can’t get the crime under control. It’s amazing citizens sit on their hands expecting intervention, yet won’t report family slinging dope or gang banging.
If you read the story about the three Atmore residents charged with attempted murder, you saw the mugshots. Do you honestly think a curfew would matter to those people? Imposing a curfew would be the same mistaken action as calling for more gun control-it will only affect those who are already law-abiding citizens. More police presence, more community support and most importantly, criminal justice reform that increases penalties especially for violent crimes are the actions that will curb this. Enforce the laws already on the books. The revolving door justice system results in people with dozens of arrests and they simply don’t care.
Well one problem is convicted criminals running around amongst us with
14 PRIOR convictions. How many of the problem causers in Atmore have priors?
Guarantee most officers in Atmore can tell you who they are and how many times they have arrested them, only to see them back on the street. Until judges are held accountable it’s a frustrating problem.
There are so many problems of too many people thinking they are entitled to break the law. People can’t even park in a parking spot at local businesses they want to park in the fire lane or right in front of the door(see it all the time). They don’t stop at red lights or stop signs, they drive over the speed limit, pass when there is no passing. Had a preacher, at a local church, do this to me because he was running late to open the doors. Heard the shots of guns several times while in town, which makes me want to go somewhere else to shop. People basically do as they please. Law enforcement is slack, seen police officers not stop those people from breaking the law. Running stop signs and red lights, parking in the fire lanes or right in front of the doors and on sidewalks. Speeding is ok as well. Personally talked to a so called law enforcement officer and they actually said they didn’t give out tickets. There is the largest problem and then, when if they do their job, they get criticized or the courts let the law breakers back out on the streets to break the law again. Just a vicious cycle.