Teen curfew extension receives tepid reception from Charlotte City Council
The Charlotte City Council was skeptical about imposing a stricter teen curfew during a meeting on Monday, citing concerns about how it could impact parents or minors who are just looking for a place to hang out.
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The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department wants to extend a citywide curfew to apply to anyone under 18 and take effect at 9 p.m. every night. Charlotte already has a curfew in place, but police say existing restrictions haven’t been enough to combat the rise in teen takeovers that have disrupted public spaces this summer and, in some cases, turned violent.
Police Chief Estella Patterson cautioned the “increasingly disturbing” gatherings could become fatal if not addressed.
But council members weren’t entirely convinced a broader curfew is the answer.
“For me to vote in favor of this, I’ll be candid, I really would need to have a lot more comfort with respect to what happens to parents,” said Councilwoman Kimberly Owens. “We’ve heard from many parents over the course of the last few weeks with respect to job consequences and other consequences that go out to roost with them.”
The Charlotte Observer previously reported parents were confused and frustrated about the citations they are already receiving under the Youth Protection Ordinance. People younger than 13 are currently not allowed in public spaces without a parent or guardian between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Teens between 13 and 15 have a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Parents can be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor — a Level 1 misdemeanor — if their child violates curfew. Parents will only be charged if they knowingly allow their child to violate the ordinance, said Jessica Battle, assistant city attorney for CMPD.
Some exceptions to the curfew apply, such as running an errand for a parent or attending a school-sanctioned event with adult supervision.
Councilwoman Victoria Watlington asked what the curfew means for kids attending non-school-sanctioned events like going to the movies.
Police won’t be raiding movie theaters or restaurants in search of juveniles, according to CMPD.
“We’re not out looking for those individuals. In fact, we’re not going to be out looking for teens necessarily that are violating this ordinance,” Patterson said. “We need a tool that, when they do congregate and it starts to go the route … where the ski masks come on, the hoodies come on, we just can’t sit idly by. We can actually detain them.”
Councilman Ed Driggs said the takeovers were “a very serious issue.” He had similar concerns about what it meant for parents and juveniles who weren’t causing trouble, however.
“I think the offenders are the ones who are least likely to obey their parents,” Driggs said. “And so you have this strange situation where you’re cracking down, and the problem exists precisely with the people that won’t listen to their parents.”
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Driggs noted there is a degree of discretion CMPD must use in administering this ordinance. He trusts police will “use that authority judiciously,” he said.
Multiple council members said the real issue is a lack of third spaces, which are places where youth can gather outside of work, school or home.
“I don’t support increasing interaction with our youth and police on a negative basis or possibly impacting their criminal record in the future if there’s something more we can do, so I think we should take a look at another option,” said Councilwoman Renee Perkins Johnson.
Perkins Johnson suggested the city first try to invest more money into third spaces. Councilman Malcolm Graham said he’d like to see more partnerships to engage young people where possible, such as using empty school property during the summer to host events.
Councilwoman Joi Mayo said there was a lack of youth opportunities in her west Charlotte district and questioned whether the city had equitable programming.
And Councilman JD Mazuera Arias, the youngest council member at 28, used personal anecdotes to illustrate the issue. He and his friends had swimming pools and bowling alleys 10 years ago. Many of those same places impose age restrictions today, he said.
His family couldn’t find a bar or restaurant to watch the World Cup together because many were for adults over 21, he said.
“Intentionally or unintentionally, our policy decisions and the business environment that we’ve created has made this city, in my belief, unsustainable for younger people to really thrive in and get involved in,” Mazuera Arias said. “I do believe we should target harmful conduct, not make simply being young and outside after 9 p.m. grounds for police intervention.”
Mazuera Arias said he would only support the updated curfew if there is a “complementary humanitarian youth center attached to it.”
The proposal will return to council for further discussion and a vote at a future meeting.
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