Yes, Fort Worth has a curfew. And it’s staying around, at least for the next three years.
Fort Worth City Council members voted Tuesday to extend the city’s curfew ordinance for teens — an ordinance that will stay in place until the council votes again in 2023. The curfew requires minors age 17 and younger to not be in public places from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weeknights (Sunday through Thursday) and midnight to 6 a.m. on weekends (Fridays and Saturdays).
The public hearing was the second time officials and community members gathered at a city council meeting to discuss the citywide ordinance.
Captain James Stockton of the Fort Worth Police Department said the curfew was first enacted in 1994, and the number of curfew citations decreased 57 percent since 2016.
“Although there is no tangible mechanism to measure the absence of crime, it’s believed the number of citations decreased due to reduced number of juveniles on the streets during the curfew hours,” Stockton said.
Stockton also said the police department and city courts have not had any problems when issuing citations and prosecuting violators.
Some community members expressed concern Tuesday that the curfew is not a well-known law among teenagers and parents, and allowed racial profiling and harassment.
The curfew does have exceptions if a minor is with their guardian or having an emergency, including natural disasters, a fire, a car accident, or a serious injury.
Curfew violators can be fined up to $500, but this fine is not limited to minors — a parent or guardian who allows the minor to break curfew can also be fined. Additionally, owners and employees of a public place can be fined if a minor is caught in their establishment.
