West Sacramento announces 8 p.m. curfew to curb vandalism, theft

West Sacramento will impose an 8 p.m. curfew effective immediately in an attempt to curb a spat of vandalism and thefts in the city.

It is the first time in the city’s history that a curfew has been announced. The West Sacramento City Council approved the curfew during an emergency meeting Monday evening.

Across the river, the city of Sacramento also announced a historic curfew Monday in a similar move to avoid a rash of late-night property damage.

Multiple places in West Sacramento were broken into or vandalized Sunday night, in a chaotic night in the Sacramento area that drowned out a day of peaceful protests in the city of Sacramento spurred by the death of George Floyd.

“In light of the threat of violence surrounding the protests, and the need to protect the safety of the public and of public and private property within the City of West Sacramento, it is necessary and appropriate to impose a curfew within the City of West Sacramento,” the city order reads.

Under the curfew, no one will be allowed in “public streets, avenues, alleys, parks, ways, or any other public place” between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m.

People traveling to and from work, law enforcement, firefighters, emergency health care providers, and members of the media are exempt from the order.

West Sacramento police officers and other law enforcement agencies working with the city will be enforcing the curfew, and are authorized to arrest people who don’t obey the curfew order.

Violating the curfew could result in a misdemeanor charge, according to the order.

The curfew will remain in effect until the city’s director of emergency services or city council withdraw the order.

This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 7:02 PM.