29-07-2025
Detroit City Council increases fines for parents whose children break curfew
The Detroit City Council voted Tuesday afternoon to increase fines for parents whose children violate the city's overnight curfew laws.
The item was a late addition to Tuesday's city council agenda, but it was one that had been expected. Police Chief Todd A. Bettison also asked in advance for an immediate vote. Six votes were required for it to pass.
"The newly approved ordinance aims to help mitigate violent crime and reduce teenage gun violence by increasing adult accountability," the city said in a social media post.
The idea of increasing curfew fines was introduced to the community during a July 7 press conference, during which Bettison and Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan explained their summer safety teen violence prevention strategy. Some of the violent crimes during the early summer had taken place late at night and/or with the involvement of large groups of people nearby, and police promised to take a strict curfew enforcement approach as a prevention measure.
Between July 8 and 20, Detroit police issued 122 curfew violations, writing 68 parental responsibility tickets.
The City of Detroit's curfew law — known officially as the "Regulation of Minors in Public Places and Adult Responsibility for Violations" law — has been on the books since the mid-1980s. Anyone age 17 and younger is subject to the overnight curfew order, with those age 15 and younger expected inside at an earlier time.
"We don't want to fine anybody, but we have to get parents to take this very seriously," Duggan said earlier this summer.
Until now, a first-time offense has resulted in a fine of $75, with a repeat offense resulting in a $100 fine. Fines will now increase for a first-time offense to $250 and for a repeat offense to $500.
The Public Health and Safety Standing Committee met for nearly an hour on Monday to discuss the amendment on the fines, voting to send it on to the full council.
