INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – In a 9-to-1 vote, the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee of the Indianapolis City-County Council on Wednesday night recommended to move forward with a teenage curfew this summer.
Committee members say the curfew would be two hours earlier that once initiated last summer, if the full council approves it. The next council meeting will be 7 p.m. May 4.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department thinks teens showing disorderly or disruptive behavior may be stopped. Police Chief Tanya Terry backed the proposal, citing a troubling rise in youth violence. “We need to intervene early in a non-intrusive way and provide support to our young people.”
She said youth shooting victims were up 22% in the first three months of 2026 compared to the same time in 2025. Youth homicides were up by 4%.
“Keeping young people out of situations where they are more likely to be victims or be involved in violence is a priority and a shared responsibility that we all have. This is about safety and awareness for teens and their parents. It’s not about punishment its about partnership and prevention,” Terry said.
Under the proposal, under-15s must be home between 9 p.m. daily and 5 a.m. the next day. Teens age 15-17 must be home between 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5 a.m. the next day, and between 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 5 a.m. the next day. Exceptions would be made for youths with their parents, at-school events, or heading to or from work.
The city’s proposal would make the curfew start 2 hours earlier than the state’s curfew.
Teens who are stopped will be taken to a reunification center where they will be linked to community organizations.
If approved, the curfew would last 120 days.
Democratic council member Leroy Robinson, who chairs the public safety committee, said Wednesday, “Will it prevent and stop every single crime by a young person? Absolutely not. But what it will do, it will give enforcement policies to help our young people this summer, give them guardrails to support parents as well to reduce violence in our cities.”
Some councilors say more action is needed. Republican council member Josh Bain suggested Wednesday, “Showing that we take this seriously by putting the curfew fines in effect for parents and guardians of these habitual violators.”
