Stricter Curfew Hours for Minors Being Considered in Indy

INDIANAPOLIS–A proposal was introduced at an Indianapolis City-County Council meeting Monday night to extend the curfew for kids in Marion County.

It was introduced by City-County Councilor Leroy Robinson (D-District 1).

“(It’s) not about penalties, but first and foremost, I think we’re going to do is we’ll try to tell the parents if they are not abiding by the curfew, and if there’s multiple violations, we can be able to find them, get them parenting classes,” Robinson said.

Robinson said penalties should be a last resort, but he is also looking at ways to “hold parents and guardians accountable for violations of the curfew ordinance.” There could be penalties in the form of fines and parenting classes for people who commit multiple violations.

Under this proposal, it would be unlawful for any youth aged between 15 and 17 to be in public during the following curfew hours:

-After 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Friday or Saturday
-After 9 p.m. on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday
-Before 5 a.m. on any day of the week

For minors 14 years old and younger, the extended curfew hours would include 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. every day of the week.

Councilor Michael-Paul Hart (R-District 20) says this doesn’t solve the deep rooted issues.

“All it’s doing is changing times,” Hart said. “We’ve seen last year that we’re in the same exact scenario, and here we are again.”

The Fraternal Order of Police Indianapolis President Rick Snyder says this plan doesn’t go nearly far enough.

“With shallow reach, this updated Ordinance carries no criminal weight and right now includes no consequences or fine for violations. Even when this Council had the opportunity instead of expanding bed space at the new Juvenile Detention Facility, they shrunk it. Meanwhile Juvenile Violence exploded. Victims in Indianapolis need the same Equal Protection Under the Law as the rest of the State of Indiana,” said Snyder in a statement.

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett also issued a statement after the proposal was brought forward.

The youth gun violence we experienced in our city this weekend was tragic, unacceptable — and completely preventable. Our city’s youth have no business being out unsupervised in the middle of the night. That’s why tonight, in partnership with President Vop Osili and Chairman Leroy Robinson, we will be introducing an Ordinance to extend the curfew hours for young people in Indianapolis.

Over the coming days, I will be continuing important conversations with community and law enforcement regarding the steps we must take to increase enforcement of this extended curfew, which will save lives. What is immediately clear: everyone in our community has a role to play in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our city’s youth.

As Mayor, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of all the residents of our city. Parents and guardians, help us keep your kids safe by ensuring they follow the curfew hours.

The public will be able to comment on the city-county council’s curfew proposal when it is reviewed in the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee on July 16 at 5:30 p.m.