Mayor Spencer establishes overnight Downtown and Downtown West juvenile curfews from July 3 to Labor Day.

ST. LOUIS - Today, Mayor Spencer signed Executive Order 98, establishing overnight Downtown and Downtown West juvenile curfews for the July 4 weekend and the remainder of the summer.

July 4 has previously presented issues with juveniles coming downtown late at night and causing unsafe conditions for themselves and others, sometimes extending through the summer.

The Mayor's Office has worked closely with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, downtown representatives of the Board of Aldermen, Celebrate St. Louis, and other stakeholders to determine a reasonable and enforceable juvenile curfew that enables young St. Louisans to enjoy our city during summer while limiting repeats of previous years' unsafe gatherings after dark.

The nightly curfew, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., will begin on the evening of July 3 and end in the morning on Sept. 8. It applies to individuals aged 17 and under and covers the Downtown and Downtown West neighborhoods.

"We look forward to celebrating our nation's independence this weekend and welcome families to what will certainly be spectacular celebrations downtown," said Mayor Spencer. "This curfew will make sure that teens taking part in the celebrations stay with trusted adults, and that we have another tool to keep both juveniles and our community safe, both this holiday weekend and the rest of the summer."

Exceptions to the curfew include being accompanied by an adult having the care and custody of the juvenile, being outside your home, or attending or traveling to or from a school or City-sponsored activity or an activity of a religious, civic, or other association, or a place of employment.

"As we move through a busy summer season filled with events and activities, our priority is maintaining a safe environment for residents, visitors, and families," said St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Chief Robert J. Tracy. "This curfew provides another tool to help prevent unsafe situations, encourage parental involvement, and support a coordinated approach to public safety in Downtown and Downtown West."

This curfew is modeled after similar youth curfews in cities including Kansas City, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

The Department of Public Safety, with support from the SLMPD and the Office of Violence Prevention, will establish a reunification center where parents or guardians must pick up juveniles who have violated the curfew on July 3 and 4. Multiple non-profit organizations working with youths will be at the center to connect juveniles with positive resources.

The Office of Violence Prevention is partnering with the Mathews-Dickey Boys & Girls Club to host Fourth of July celebrations for St. Louis city youth. The club will be open Friday, July 3, and Saturday, July 4, from 6 to 10 p.m., providing a fun and safe environment for youths aged 12 to 17. Events will vary between the two nights but include fun activities like the Mobile Y Gaming Truck, art lessons by St. Louis Artworks, music, basketball, badminton and board games. Chess teachers will also be available to teach the game to potential future members of the World Chess Hall of Fame!

In an effort to continue providing fun and safe activities for youths, the Office of Violence Prevention is in the process of establishing evening programming for youths for the remaining summer weekends. More information on this will be forthcoming. This is in addition to existing daytime summer youth programming through OVP, the Recreation Division and SLATE.