The 30-day extension will allow the City Council to get more information from the police department to add to their discussion before voting to extend it for another three years.
The existing ordinance, which has been in place since 1994, states minors cannot be out unsupervised between 11 p.m.-6 a.m. Sunday to Thursday or midnight-6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Council Member Gyna Bivens alluded to criminal mischief, including street racing, during the council’s discussion on the matter as the main reason why the curfew is in place. Opponents of the curfew, including Tamara Hutcherson, a resident of District 9, referenced a Nov. 15, 2022, report that showed how the ordinance disproportionately affects youths of color.
“There is no practicality of enforcing this ordinance, nor had data been provided to show whether there is a correlation between crime statistics and curfew violations,” Hutcherson said. “This curfew criminalizes our youth.”
Fort Worth Police Department records show 120 citations have been issued over the past three years, according to the city. Teens in violation of the curfew ordinance are required to attend teen court to determine further consequences.
Council Member Carlos Flores said parents have a legal and moral responsibility to keep their children safe.
“A positive feature of curfew laws is that they can be used for means of identifying children that are at high risk if their crimes start elevating to a higher degree,” he said. “And it's also likely that minors who are out late during the night and early morning hours may lack some supervision.”
