INDIANAPOLIS — In a renewed effort to ensure the safety of young people in downtown Indianapolis, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey announced the launch of a safe and secure location where juveniles found out past curfew can be brought to reconnect with their families and access essential support services. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance weekend enforcement of Indiana’s curfew law for individuals under the age of 18.
In accordance with Indiana law, the following curfew regulations will be enforced:
• Children ages 15 to 17 are prohibited from being in public: between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Saturday or Sunday, after 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and before 5 a.m. Monday through Friday.
• Children under 15 may not be in public: After 11 p.m. or before 5 a.m. on any day.
Exceptions to the curfew are youth accompanied by a parent, guardian, or responsible adult or traveling to or from work, school events, religious services, or other lawful gatherings.
Prior to enforcing curfew, IMPD officers will issue warnings to any large groups of juveniles using patrol car public address systems. These announcements will begin 30 minutes before curfew, followed by another at the 15-minute mark, and a final notice once curfew is in effect.
If a juvenile is found in violation, officers may escort them to a designated safe and secure location, where service providers will be present to offer guidance and resources. Parents, family members, or guardians will be contacted and asked to pick up their child. If contact cannot be made, the juvenile may be taken to the Juvenile Detention Center for a curfew violation, which is status offense. This is not an arrest, and it will not appear on the child’s permanent record.
More than just a holding place, the site connects youth and families with providers offering services such as mentorship, mental health support, education assistance, and job readiness programs.