On April 30 the Samson Cree Nation Chief and council amended its curfew bylaw to 10 p.m. It applies to youth from 12 to 17 years of age to help fight crime on the reserve.
“I have heard from the Samson membership including parents that the curfew will help protect young people and we have been urged to amend our curfew bylaw and have it enforced,” said Chief Marvin Yellowbird in a press release. “We are very concerned about an increase in violence in our community. We are determined to implement a number of concrete measures deemed appropriate and necessary including a curfew to protect our members and reduce crime.”
In just under a week the Hobbema RCMP detachment has already seen the difference that the curfew has made.
“I think it is a good initiative and it is a good step forward for the community,” said Cpl. Darrel Bruno the media liaison for the Hobbema detachment. “We are already seeing some good results from the curfew, there are less youths running around at night.”
The Samson Townsite Committee has also seen the difference according to member Janet Swampy.
“It has helped, we noticed a difference as far as the children and adolescents are not as prevalent as they used to be at night,” said Swampy.
She said that they are trying to improve the current living conditions in the Townsite by promoting positive youth activities. They are also focused on cleaning up the area by picking up garbage, removing graffiti, building playgrounds and planting flowers.
The curfew applies to all persons between the ages of 12 to 17 who are within the Samson Cree Native Reserve even if they do not reside there. The bylaw will be enforced by taking the offender to the RCMP building where a parent or legal guardian will be contacted to pick up the youth. For those who break the curfew they are subject to a fine of a maximum of $500 or 30 days in jail or both, in certain cases warnings will be issued.
Youth are exempt from the curfew if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian, are returning home from a job without a detour, or are attending an official school, religious, cultural, recreational or other activity sponsored by the Samson Cree Nation or recognized community group.