Thanks for the article on the curfew program (April 25, "Curfew Program Progresses"). Alert! Alert! To our families in the community: the curfew law is not new. It has been around but has not been used. I am a parent with a teenage daughter who is 15. I have been saying "Thank you Jesus" for this and our community. If only they would have applied it to my son, Isaiah Strickland, when they stopped him at a party where he got into a fight with another young man after 1 a.m. Then the police talked with my baby boy and less than a half hour later, he was shot to death. A 17-year-old boy, who, if they would have called me to take him and put him in jail or a safe place, would not have gotten gunned down on Nov. 3, 2003. I am his mother and still have no conviction to the murder.
Would you rather have an alive son or one who is in the graveyard? We need to take responsibility for these young adults. I am happy the police are doing better for the community, it is the parents' turn to step up and get some discipline back into our community. Hoorah to the police for taking on this program. It could be the answer for your child still being here today.
Reba Strickland
Portland
