(Monroe, LA) On Tuesday, December 28, 2021, the Monroe City Council unanimously passed an ordinance that would adjust the existing City of Monroe curfew for any person 16 years of age and under.
The original curfew was between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday, unless accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of the minor.
The new curfew states the following: “It shall be unlawful for any person sixteen (16) years of age and under to be or remain upon any street, alley, boulevard, park, other public place or vacant premises in the City of Monroe between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., unless such person is accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or other person having legal custody of such minor.
The ordinance was introduced by Mayor Friday Ellis and Councilwoman Juanita Woods to help quell youth crime.
“It is imperative that we do everything we can to keep our kids safe. Too many times we have seen lives lost to youth violence and the perpetrators were unaccompanied minors. We know all minors are not participating in criminal activity, but this is one method we are using to try to keep kids out of trouble, but the work must begin at home. We need parents to take a more active role to make sure their children aren’t participating in criminal activity,” says Mayor Ellis.
There are exceptions to the curfew, including participating in any civic, religious, or school-sponsored activity, engaging in lawful employment, and being in direct and immediate route to or from any of the aforementioned. Curfew information is being disseminated to parents through Monroe City Schools.