After attending the recent SIMS Foundation benefit concert at Shady Grove, Austinite Dan Dinneen and his date decided to take advantage of the mild weather and do a little swinging. The two hopped into Dinneen’s car, drove down the road to Zilker Park, and found a swing set, where they swung and talked quietly. But their romantic evening was suddenly shattered when three APD officers approached, shone flashlights in their eyes, and informed them that being in a city park after 10pm is a violation of the city code. The stunned couple received $181 citations — each.
“I tried to be polite,” Dinneen said. “I thought it would be a warning only. But the officer said, ‘We got a zero tolerance policy on these curfew violations.'” Dinneen says the park’s gates were open, and other cars were parked in the lot.
Chapter 11-1-5 of city code prohibits people from hanging out in city parks between 10pm-5am unless they’re attending a city-sponsored event.
Dinneen said the police officers were friendly; one consistently called him “brother.” After receiving his citation, however, Dinneen told the officer there was “nothing brotherly” about issuing citations. “They felt compelled to write $360 in tickets for a guy and a girl talking quietly in a park, during a recession when no one has any money,” he complained. Dinneen’s court date is Sept. 18.
This article appears in September 20 • 2002.