Atlanta PD to arrest and charge PARENTS of 'teen takeover' participants

( Post Millennial )

In a press conference on Thursday, Atlanta police said parents of teens who participate in "takeovers" in the city could face charges for the actions of their children.

When asked about potential charges for parents in these cases, Atlanta Police Deputy Chief Jason Smith said, "In certain circumstances there are avenues that we can take and we plan on exploring every avenue involved in these takeovers, and yes, in some cases it would involve charging parents."

Smith said that authorities "understand there are plans for takeovers this weekend." He stressed that these takeovers "are not going to happen," and that authorities are prepared to deal with those who attempt to participate. "These takeovers need to stop. They need to come to an end. They’re causing chaos and violence and we want the public to be safe."

He said the teen takeovers started in December, with teens "taking over streets, disrupting the flow of traffic. Property was destroyed. Property was damaged. There was fighting. There was assaults. Shots fired were in some cases."

He recounted the most recent takeover in the city, which occurred on February 28 in the Atlanta Beltline. 13 people between the ages of 13 and 20 were arrested, and 11 firearms were recovered, he said. There were four curfew violations, and charges issued included aggravated assault, theft by receiving stolen property, reckless conduct, terroristic threats, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

He stressed that Atlanta has a curfew for minors from 11 pm to 6 am Sunday through Thursday, and midnight to 6 am Friday and Saturday.

Smith warned parents, "For the parents, you need to watch your kids. You need to understand what they’re doing. You need to know what they’re doing every second of the day. Do not let your child lose a potential future by doing something that doesn’t make sense at all. Don’t let them run the streets when they should be at home because of the curfew. You need to be paying attention to that. Be smart. Know where your child is, not just this weekend, but every weekend, every day."