MORGAN HILL (KRON) – Amid safety concerns during PG&E’s widespread power shutoffs across the Bay Area, some cities are cracking down on potential crimes that could be committed during this time in impacted areas.

The City of Morgan Hill will be enforcing a curfew starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday through 6:30 a.m. Thursday due to the power shutoff.

“If you are out walking around we highly encourage you to go home and be at home. If you are in darkened area it’s for your safety and the safety of others,” Sergeant Bill Norman with the Morgan Hill Police Department said.

Officials said the curfew is intended to crack down on pedestrians loitering in areas that are impacted by the shutoff.

“This curfew is for the safety of the community to reduce the opportunity for crime,” the city said on Facebook. “Travel by vehicle and presence on one’s own residential property is fine.”

Officials say you can walk on your own property, check-in on neighbors, and drive but walking your dog in the neighborhood is off-limits.

“I usually don’t around where I live because there’s mountain lions and stuff like that, so it’s not going to bother me much but ya for people who do take a walk when its cooler and want to walk their dog and stuff,” Kaereanne Christman said.

“We don’t want people out and about at night where their safety is in jeopardy or somebody else’s. It’s going to be pretty dark tonight so that’s our main goal,” Sergeant Norman said.

People in Morgan Hill are unsure when or if they lose power but are preparing for the possibility.

PG&E says about 38,000 customers will be affected by the power shutoff throughout Santa Clara County.

There is a charging center at the Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center on Monterey Road.

They are open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday but there are also places to plug in and charge your devices outside the center just under the trees in the park outback.
The center will reopen at 8 a.m. on Thursday.

Other Bay Area cities like Berkeley are also increasing a police presence to crack down on crimes during this critical time.

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