Mayor Hogsett and Others Discuss Youth Safety Plans
Indianapolis Mayor Hogsett and Community Partners Discuss Youth Safety Plans
INDIANAPOLIS–Today, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, along with IMPD Chief of Police Tanya Terry and OPHS Director Andrew Merkley, came together with several community organizations to outline safety plans ahead of spring breaks and the arrival of warmer weather.
“This time of year is meant to be a fun and exciting time for our city’s youth. As Mayor of this City, I take the safety of our kids very seriously,” said Mayor Hogsett. “Parents play a vital role, but so do we as a community, and that means it is on all of us to uplift and support our young people when they need it most.”
“Our goal is always prevention first. By increasing our presence downtown, reinforcing curfew expectations, and partnering with community partners, we are creating layers of support and accountability for young people,” said IMPD Chief Tanya Terry. “We want families and youth to know that officers are here to keep them safe, connect them to resources when needed, and help everyone enjoy downtown responsibly during spring break and the warmer months ahead,” she added.
IMPD will also be enforcing Indiana’s current curfew law for those under the age of 18 when necessary.
Current Indiana Law states:
• Children 15 – 17 years of age may not be in a public place:
-between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday
-after 11 p.m. on Sunday – Thursday
-before 5 a.m. on Monday – Friday
• Children younger than 15 years of age may not be in a public place
-after 11 p.m. or before 5 a.m. on any day
Exceptions to this curfew include:
• A juvenile who is accompanied by a parent, guardian or custodian, or adult
• A juvenile participating in, going to, or returning from work, a school-sanctioned activity, a religious event or engaging in the right of assembly.
Shortly before curfew, officers will make announcements over patrol car public address systems to any large groups of juveniles present. Announcements will occur 30 minutes and 15 minutes before curfew, followed by an additional notice once curfew begins.
If kids are found in violation of curfew, officers may take appropriate action. This may include transporting the juvenile to a designated safe, secure location, known as the Connection Center, where community partners will provide resources, food, and support services. All organizations staffing the Connection Center are volunteering their time and resources.
“When a young person is out late at night, we want to make sure they are safe and connected to the support they may need,” said OPHS Director Andrew Merkley. “The Connection Center, staffed by our community partners, OPHS, and IMPD, gives us a chance to meet youth with care, provide snacks and drinks, and surround them with community partners who are ready to help,” added Merkley.
Officers will attempt to notify a parent, guardian, or custodian of the child that have been detained for violating curfew. Parents and guardians will be granted a reasonable amount of time to pick up their child. If contact with parents or guardians cannot be established, the juvenile will be transported to the juvenile detention center for a status offense. This is not considered an arrest and does not create a criminal record.
The safety plan includes an increased and visible presence of IMPD officers throughout the downtown area during peak evening and weekend hours.
IMPD’s Downtown District says they continue to work closely with downtown business owners to ensure they have the support they need to operate safely and effectively.
To date, more than 200 downtown businesses have entered into a trespass agreement, which allows IMPD officers to remove an unwanted person or persons from a private property.
