The Council of the District of Columbia voted Tuesday to approve a long-term youth curfew measure, extending the police chief’s power to declare special 8 p.m. youth curfew zones through 2028.
The approval could take months to take effect, as the measure still faces congressional review. The council did not choose to approve an emergency curfew, meaning that the mayor and police chief’s authority to set temporary youth curfew zones will expire in 10 days.
The youth curfew zone debate marks one of the most divisive issues facing the city council, with Mayor Muriel Bowser urging council members to act amid mounting federal scrutiny over the youths’ behavior
The measure follows a series of “teen takeovers” throughout the district in neighborhoods such as Navy Yard and U Street. In some cases, the so-called takeovers have resulted in chaotic scenes. Early last month, several teenagers were arrested after fights broke out in front of King-Greenleaf Recreation Center in Navy Yard.
The district youth would often advertise the gatherings on social media, resulting in hundreds of teenagers gathering in already busy parts of the city.
In response, the council approved a series of temporary measures giving the mayor and police chief the authority to declare temporary youth curfew zones, barring young people from gathering after 8 p.m. in groups of nine or more.
City Councilwoman Brooke Pinto, one of the bill’s sponsors, spoke in support of the measure.
“This is a limited authority that should absolutely be extended,” Pinto, who is also running for district delegate, said in a statement to NBC4. “To me, it’s kind of like saying if there’s a riot, we should enable and empower our own local police department to be able to respond. Why on earth we wouldn’t want to do that in these instances is not something I can understand.”
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If granted congressional approval, the police chief would have the authority to declare special 8 p.m. curfews for anyone under the age of 18 and in groups of nine or more, with a citywide youth curfew of 11 p.m. on most nights and midnight on weekends.
Curfew violations are not criminal offenses, so district police could not arrest a young person unless they were committing a criminal act such as assault or theft.