Council Approves Downtown Curfew Ordinance
- Tulsa City Council
- Jun 26
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 27
City Councilors voted 7-1 to approve an ordinance adding downtown curfew hours for individuals under the age of 18 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays in the Inner Dispersal Loop (IDL). The curfew will remain 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
“The purpose of this legislation is to keep children safe,” Council Vice Chair Karen Gilbert said. “This is not the only solution to address violence in our community; it is just the beginning of an ongoing conversation on how we can keep everyone safe while enjoying our downtown. I'm thankful for the collaboration of our downtown business partners and law enforcement in drafting this policy.”
After the Mayor signs the ordinance, the curfew will take effect from June 26, 2025, to midnight, October 22, 2025.
The downtown curfew allows for work and other approved activities and does not apply to juveniles accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult.
“Tulsa Police rarely asks the Council to make emergency adjustments to our laws,” Council Chair Phil Lakin said. “They did so this week, and the Council reacted by approving downtown curfew revisions that are intended to protect all Tulsans, regardless of age. This is a positive step, but not even close to being a remedy. I’m hopeful that all of us will collectively continue to do all we can to keep Tulsa a safe place for everyone.”
The downtown curfew is in line with business support and best practices from other agencies across the country and will help ensure that Tulsa police officers are able to protect youth by limiting the number of underage gatherings downtown, especially before people start leaving venues and bars later in the evening.
“We are at a critical state where something must be done to maintain safety downtown,” Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper said, whose district includes part of downtown. “This ordinance will allow law enforcement to disperse crowds before they become unmanageable. I will be following the enforcement of this law closely to make sure it is applied equally to all youths and review any cases where questions of injustice arise. We must also work to address violence at its roots, invest in our youth, and create systems of care and accountability in every corner of our community.”
A list of FAQs about the downtown curfew can be found online at: www.cityoftulsa.org/publicsafety
