Washington DC Police Summer Curfew for Youth Now in Effect

Washington DC police have begun enforcing the summer curfew for youth as part of a plan to curb violence and keep communities safe.

The summer curfew for youth began on July 1 and will last until August 31, starting at 00:01 and ending at 6:00, seven days a week.

According to Andre Wright, the director of patrol services, the curfew is nothing new, as the city already has a curfew in place from September to June, with different times on weekdays and weekends.

“Our intention behind this is to make sure, first and foremost, that we protect them,” Wright said. “Sometimes we protect them from themselves. Often we protect them from others who are exploiting them.”

Since the curfew pilot program began in September, Washington, D.C. police have referred 71 youth to the city’s Department of Youth and Rehabilitation Services (DYRS) for youth curfew violations, city data show.

The curfew applies to anyone under 17, including minors who do not live in D.C. While it is in effect, they are not allowed to be in public places such as streets, common areas of apartment buildings, on the subway or in a movie theater, Wright said.

“We’re not just focusing on one child in one neighborhood,” Wright said. “That’s the law.”

Washington DC police arrest the offenders and then turn them over to DYRS. Then, Wright said, the agency will work with the parents to pick up the child and find out “if there are any other problems with the child or at home.”

“Our sister agencies are trying to prioritize this and assess where this is possible,” he told WTOP.

Minors are exempt from curfew when accompanied by a parent or guardian, when running errands for a parent, when standing on a sidewalk near their home, or when attending an official school, religious or recreational activity, according to curfew rules.

According to Wright, officers are trained and “have the responsibility to identify youth who are still outside after the curfew has expired.”

“We know that when we get them off the streets, we reduce their risk of becoming a victim of violent crime,” Wright said.

He added that the curfew is not always linked to crime. During the winter months, police officers sometimes find young people sleeping in the cold because they are homeless or “don’t want to go home because of problems at home.”

“And we have been able to identify several children like this who are in desperate need of help,” Wright said.

A parent who “knowingly permits or through inadequate control” a minor to violate the curfew can be fined up to $500 or required to perform community service. Minors who violate the curfew can also be required to perform up to 25 hours of community service.

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