Dallas City Council members Angela Hunt and Mitchell Rasansky on Wednesday sharply criticized Mayor Tom Leppert and City Manager Mary Suhm for withholding information about the safety of the Trinity River's levees.

That criticism drew a spirited defense from Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dwaine Caraway, who said he would "take a bullet" for the mayor and city manager.

Hunt accused Suhm of withholding from her information about U.S. Army Corps of Engineers findings in 2007 suggesting the Trinity River's earthen levee walls may have safety issues.

"That makes me really distrust you and distrustful of your staff," said Hunt, who in 2007 waged a campaign against Leppert to block construction of a planned toll road within the Trinity's levee walls.

Meanwhile, Rasansky, looking at Leppert and citing recent Dallas Morning News reports on Trinity River safety concerns, told his colleagues, "Certain people at this city have known information that wasn't passed along to the City Council. I take issue with that. ... We're due an explanation on this."

An incensed Caraway quickly jumped into the debate, declaring, "I would take a bullet for this mayor. He has that type of respect. I take the same position with Mary Suhm. ... I'm with you a million percent, and I don't want to see you get beat up in public."

Caraway then threatened to get nasty with any person who gets nasty with Leppert or Suhm.

"I know a bunch of stuff that ought to be out here in the public and that would be most embarrassing and everything else," Caraway said, quickly adding that he wouldn't do so. "If we ... keep on beating them up, then I'm going to start doing some beatin' 'em up. And if I get to beatin' 'em up, it's really going to be something."

Added District 10 council member Jerry Allen to Leppert and Suhm: "Y'all are two of the classiest people I've dealt with, and I've dealt with some class acts. Anything that comes out of your mouths, I believe it."

A clearly frustrated Leppert said he never suggested there were any guarantees when it comes to the Trinity project.

He said he knew problems were inevitable with a $2 billion project, even if he couldn't anticipate exactly what they would be.

"If we want to be in the position to throw our hands up anytime there is a problem, we are not going to get there and the city is not going to get there," he said.

Giving up is in the political interest of "some people," but isn't in the interest of the city, he said.

"We cannot lose sight of the fact we have major issues to deal with. There are transportation issues, air-quality issues. We can't put our head in the sand and pretend those are going to go away," he said.

He also suggested that he has never had any inside information about the project that he kept to himself.

"Mr. Rasansky, I want to assure you the information I've got, you've got, and I'm happy to discuss it anytime. There are a lot of things I don't know," he said.

Opponents roundly panned a proposed ordinance to create a daytime curfew for children 16 and younger, telling the Dallas City Council it would be an affront to freedom and a menace to responsible children.

But many city officials touted the proposal as a critical tool in stemming a rash of daytime burglaries and other criminal mischief that police say are committed by kids cutting class.

The public hearing won't be the last word on the proposal, which is scheduled for another hearing in April before a vote in May.

It served, however, to crystallize arguments on both sides of the issue that generally calls for children to be off city streets between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on school days or face potential police detention and a fine of up to $500.

"It gives law enforcement something to work with. It gives them a tool," Dallas resident Edna Pemberton told the council.

Caraway agreed, saying of youthful troublemakers, "We just can't sit here and let them destroy the city. And they're not just destroying the city, they are destroying their own lives and careers."

But Dallas resident Mark McCollom later argued that if the proposed ordinance is passed, "the consequences to [children] for one or two stupid mistakes could be devastating. The police have the tools today."

Hunt asked police if the majority of daytime burglaries are committed by male juveniles. Yes, police officials responded – the vast majority.

"Then, if our idea is let's get people off the street who might commit burglaries or might commit criminal acts, I've got an idea, guys: Let's put down a law that is a daytime and a nighttime curfew for men," Hunt said. "I mean, guys, this is a slippery slope."

Today, police may detain children suspected of skipping school, but typically return them to a Dallas school campus. No fine is involved, and children do not face a court date.

Dallas law does include a nighttime curfew for juveniles, mandating that they're off Dallas city streets between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 12:01 a.m. and 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.

The proposed daytime curfew includes several "defenses to prosecution," including traveling to a school-approved work-study program, going on lunch break from a school that features an open campus or proof of high school graduation.

City Attorney Tom Perkins told the council that police officers would be expected to first determine whether a child had a legitimate excuse to be outside during school hours before issuing the child a citation, taking them into custody or taking any other action.

•The council amended city codes to allow members of a city-sponsored tax increment financing board to "acquire property within the reinvestment zones they represent, but prohibiting them from participating and voting in matters that directly affect their acquired or existing property in the reinvestment zones." The code amendment also prohibits tax increment financing board members from "having direct or indirect financial interests in city contracts involving the use of TIF funds."

•Without debate, the council approved a lawsuit settlement of $54,755 stemming from Dallas street services worker Ronald Young allegedly running a red light and striking motorist Garyesue Tullos Hooper with a city truck.

•The council unanimously approved a $6.2 million contract to purchase 60 vehicles, including 26 refuse trucks fueled by compressed natural gas, which pollutes less than standard diesel or gasoline fuel.