Catoosa officials have approved a stricter youth curfew following recent vandalism incidents, joining Tulsa in an effort to limit late-night activity among minors.
Effective immediately, anyone under the age of 18 in Catoosa must be home by 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and by 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The previous curfew allowed teens to stay out an hour later each night.
The change comes after a string of incidents involving spray-painted damage to the city’s splash pad restrooms, bridges and utility boxes. Catoosa Assistant Police Chief Andrew Wimberley said the new curfew gives officers more tools to respond.
“This is about those kids who are in trouble all the time, and we know who some of them are,” Wimberley said. “We've got our eye on several of them, so beware. We know who you are.”
Wimberley added that the measure is intended to help guide youth, not just penalize them.
“It's not about punishing them, but it's about taking them from that path they're on, putting them on a better one and getting them going in the direction that they need to go,” he said.
Catoosa’s move follows the Tulsa City Council’s decision last month to impose a youth curfew downtown in response to a series of shootings. Tulsa’s curfew remains in effect until October.
While both cities hope to reduce crime and increase public safety, one expert question said curfews can cause logistical concerns.
Brett Fitzgerald, a criminal justice professor at Northeastern State University, said curfews can sometimes tie up officers with logistical concerns.
“If you've got a kid, you can't just let them go, right?” Fitzgerald said. “So, if you've got four kids that are all out, you got to get hold of four parents. I mean, that's the law. They can't just let them go.”
Fitzgerald said curfews may help prevent more serious crimes, but added that enforcement strategies will determine their impact.
“Are they going to be legalistic right off the bat? Are they going to be more service oriented?” he said. “Just get a hold of the parents and have them come get the kids without a citation? Or they're going to issue a citation?"
Fitzgerald pointed to gray areas in enforcement, such as whether a teen working a late shift should be cited simply for being out past curfew.
For now, Catoosa police say they’ll begin enforcing the new curfew immediately, with the goal of preventing vandalism and protecting youth from dangerous situations late at night.
