To curb rising youth violence, city leaders in Fayetteville, North Carolina, are implementing a new citywide curfew for minors.
The mayor of Fayetteville, Mitch Colvin, informed Fox News Digital that the city had reported close to 2,000 interactions or arrests involving minors over a span of about 16 months.
“We reviewed data from the last two quarters of the prior year and the first half of this year, and discovered nearly 1,900 cases of arrests or crimes committed by young individuals. Clearly, this indicates a significant issue, and we are committed to addressing it proactively,” Colvin stated.
According to the new ordinance, youths under 16 are barred from being in public spaces between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., with certain exceptions. These include being with parents, guardians, or another authorized adult, running errands, commuting to or from work, responding to emergencies, attending supervised events like sports or school activities, and going to religious services.
Fayetteville is home to Fort Bragg, known briefly as Fort Liberty, the largest U.S. Army base by population. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)
A new chief will join the Fayetteville Police Department next week, and Colvin expects the department head to help implement the new ordinance.
“I’m certain that they will make sure that they are presenting a professional response to it. They’re training their officers as to the terms and conditions of what their role will be. They’re setting up the partnerships that are necessary because the city can’t do this alone. We’ll need social service, we’ll need juvenile justice, and we need the other governmental units that have a role in this space. This is an ecosystem. That we all have to work in to create a safer, better environment for our young people.”
