Dallas Police say kids are safer and crime goes down when students are home at night
Dallas Police have a friendly reminder as the holidays approach and kids prepare to be out of school – students aren’t safe (or welcome) on city streets late at night.
The Dallas City Council adopted the curfew in 1991 under pressure from citizens to tackle rising crime. It was most recently renewed in 2015.
Juveniles under the age of 17 aren’t allowed out Sunday-Thursday from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. or Friday and Saturday nights from midnight to 6. Parents who permit their children to violate the city curfew can receive a citation, and business owners and operators may receive citations for allowing juveniles to remain on their premises. The fine can reach $500.
Exceptions include being in the company of a parent, being on a parent-directed errand, going to or from work, or being involved in an emergency. Kids may also be on a sidewalk abutting their own residence or attending school or religious activities.
The curfew ordinance and its penalties also apply when students are truant from school during the day. Students missing school for work-study programs or absences excused by the school are excepted.
Enforcement of the juvenile curfew, says DPD, helps with crime reduction and safety.
