Cincinnati Police conducted a sweep of west-side neighborhoods early Saturday, picking up 132 juvenile curfew violators.

        The District 3 curfew crackdown, which included Price Hill and Westwood, was the second of its kind in the area in the past month. About 32 officers were involved, including officers borrowed from the violent crime squads from other areas of the city.

CURFEW TIMES

Age and time regulations: Those 15 and under must be inside by 10 p.m. Those 16 or 17 years old must be inside by midnight.     Penalties: On the first and second offense a juvenile breaks curfew, a warning is issued. On the third offense, the juvenile can be taken to detention.     Source: Cincinnati Police Department

        Lt. Kurt Byrd, a police spokesman, said the sweep was the offspring of a policing theory known to insiders as “fixing broken windows”. In this style of policing, he said, focusing on lesser crimes often leads to a decrease in more violent crimes.

        If departments focus on “everything from begging to curfew violators to cleaning up a neighborhood,” he said, “the more violent crimes will take care of themselves.”

        The curfew sweep began at 9:30 p.m. Friday and continued until 1:30 a.m. Saturday. Teens age 15 and under who were on the streets after 10 p.m. were picked up for curfew violation arrests, Lt. Byrd said. The second set of violations were 16- and 17-year-olds who remained outside after midnight.

        In a June 15 sweep, police and volunteers rounded up 102 juveniles on the west side. Community patrol units contributed 26 volunteers to help in the efforts.

        “We are totally in support of this because it gets some of the kids who have too much time on their hands off the streets,” said Frank Hollister, president of the East Price Hill Community Council. He said there have been increases in loitering and damage by teens in the past three years.

        After the first sweep, several parents were irritated that they had to pick up a child, and some even refused, Mr. Hollister said. “I was very disturbed by that,” Mr. Hollister said. “There were a number of parents who just didn't want to be bothered.”

        Mike Brestel, a 51-year-old Westwood resident and vice president of the neighborhood civic association, said incidents associated with curfew violations haven't been a major problem this summer on the west side, but the police presence is appreciated.

        “There are isolated incidents, but it is not a recurring problem,” said Mr. Brestel, who has a 13-year-old daughter. He often sees teens riding bikes or playing basketball after hours, not fighting.

        “But when there are incidents,” he said, and officers don't know who is to blame, “it is good to have something to use to get people off the streets.”

        In Price Hill, teens have access to a community center on Hawthorne Avenue that has weight lifting facilities, games and basketball and volleyball leagues.

        Police say the sweeps are “having some effect.” There were only seven repeat violators picked up Saturday. Lt. Byrd said District 3 is the only district that regularly sweeps for curfew violators, although others may follow suit.

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