Charleston City Council approves juvenile curfew for downtown business district
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‘We’re not going to deal with it’: Teen curfew possible for downtown areas
The curfew would limit youth from being on King Street, East Bay Street and Carolina Street. The department records over 40 late-night incidents involving juveniles from January 2024 to April 2025. The ordinance will go to the council for its first reading this month. If the curfew is approved by the city council, the ordinance may take effect as soon as June. The possible curfew does have exceptions to the rule when it comes to some teens in the targeted area. The curfew would apply to the downtown entertainment district through July and August. The city’s Public Safety Committee approved to move forward with the possible curfew on Tuesday. For confidential support, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or visit www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
The City of Charleston Police Department is proposing a solution to violent crimes involving juveniles in the entertainment district at night. A curfew may soon be a reality for youth aged 17 years old and under who are unsupervised or gathering without reason in downtown areas.
The curfew would limit youth from being on King Street, East Bay Street and Carolina Street between the hours of 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The department records over 40 late-night incidents involving juveniles from January 2024 to April 2025. Chief Chito Walker says the instances mainly happen on King Street intersections such as Mary Street, Reid Street and Calhoun Street. He says the incidents, such as assault, auto theft, drug possession and underage drinking, all happened between the hours of 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
He says the curfew is meant to be a solution to prevent a major incident from happening in the future, as the department sees unsupervised teens on a regular basis.
District 8 Councilmember and member of the Public Safety Committee Mike Seekings says it’s a formula for trouble for large groups of young people to be in the entertainment district with the many adult businesses.
“If you’ve got a 13 or 14-year-old that’s hanging out on King Street at one o’clock in the morning on a Friday or Saturday, that’s inappropriate and we’re not going to deal with it,” Seekings says.
Seekings says the potential ordinance would be an addition to current safety measures already in place in the entertainment district, such as changing traffic patterns.
One young resident, Andres Aristimuno, says teens having access to the target downtown areas is part of the city’s culture.
“I understand that there is concern with safety, and that’s always a big thing,” Aristimuno says. “To each their own, when it comes to that, you know. And if that’s what they want to implement, then I hope it ends well, but I think it’s going to come back and bite them because you’re cutting into our deep culture. I think that is what really enriches the city.”
The possible curfew does have exceptions to the rule when it comes to some teens in the targeted area.
“There are some establishments that employ people who are under the age of 18 and which is perfectly legal,” Seekings says. “But if you’re there, in a group with no particular purpose other than to be there, then we’re going to look at you, we’re going to talk to you, and we’re going to ask you to go home. If you don’t, we’re going to call your parents to come get you, and if that doesn’t work, then we’ll do everything we can to disperse the crowd.”
The Public Safety Committee approved to move forward with the possible curfew on Tuesday. The ordinance will go to the council for its first reading this month. A second reading will take place in June if it is successful.
City leaders want the curfew to be applied through July and August. If the curfew is approved by the city council, the ordinance may take effect as soon as June.
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