SYLACAUGA, Ala. – The Sylacauga City Council voted to allow its police chief to set a city-wide curfew if it is determined necessary at today’s council meeting.
It is important to understand that the vote, which unanimously passed, does not create a curfew, and one is not foreseen. It simply allows local police to implement a curfew if COVID-19 conditions worsen.
Many cities in Alabama are enforcing a curfew including the state capital.
The item on the agenda read, “Action that is necessary to adopt ordinance authorizing implementation of a curfew in the event conditions become such that the Police Chief determines that a curfew is needed to protect citizens and to prevent the further spread of COVID-19 virus and to outline the terms of such curfew.”
Following the vote, SPD Chief Kelley Johnson told SylacaugaNews.com he does not ever plan on implementing a curfew in Sylacauga. “I don’t plan on creating a curfew, and, with the way things are going, I don’t think I would ever have to,” he said.
Watch the council work session and meeting below:
The curfew, if ever implemented, will begin at 10:00 p.m. and last until 5:00 a.m. The ordinance says people shall remain in their places of residence between those hours.
The ordinance makes exceptions for:
- First responders
- Public safety or emergency services
- Employees of utilities
- Persons seeking essential services such as medical treatment
- Persons restocking businesses in order to provide essential services
- People employed by the government
- Media members
- Grocery stores, gas stations, pharmacies, health care services
- People experiencing homelessness
Breaking the potential curfew would be a $500 fine and up to 180 days in jail.
