As schools close for the year, temperatures rise and the sun stays in the sky longer, some Indianapolis youth are feeling the urge to head outside for summer fun.
But these young residents — and their guardians — should be aware of a curfew put in place by the City-County Council heading into the summer months.
The goal, officials said, isn’t to punish kids.
“We are certainly not leaning on the enforcement side of trying to put them in the system,” Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Assistant Chief Michael Wolley said during a May 28 news conference. “In most cases, we’re going to reach out to parents and ask them, ‘Do you know where your child is at?'”
Wolley said the summer safety measure has been in talks for a while.
Here’s what you should know about the summer curfew in Indianapolis.
Who will be affected by the summer curfew?
Under the Indianapolis City-County Council ordinance, everyone younger than 18 falls under a summer curfew.
The curfew will be in place seven days a week, with differing time restrictions for certain age groups and days of the week.
What time does the curfew go into effect?
The Indianapolis summer curfew hours are as follows:
Are there exemptions to the curfew?
Yes, there are several legal defenses for youngsters out late at night.
Any juvenile is exempt to the curfew if they are accompanied by a parent, guardian, custodian or other adult.
Additionally, the curfew does not apply to any youth participating in or traveling to and from work, school sanctioned activities and religious events during restricted hours.
Teenagers publicly protesting or assembling are also exempt from the curfew.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child,” Wolley said. “So we’re going to do what we can as law enforcement to champion some of those things.”
Mia Thurow is the breaking news and criminal justice reporting intern for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at mthurow@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What Indy parents, youth should know about updated summer curfew
Reporting by Mia Thurow, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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