Tulsa residents will see the downtown juvenile curfew remain in effect for an additional year after the City Council voted unanimously to extend the ordinance, according to News on 6. The rule, approved in the summer of 2025 following several high‑profile crimes involving teenagers, restricts anyone 17 or younger from being in the designated downtown zone without an adult from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
Police data for the first seven months of 2026 show 33 curfew citations were issued, News on 6 reported. February accounted for the highest number of violations, with 16 citations, while no citations were recorded in January or June. The Tulsa Police Department’s Crime & Intelligence Analysis Unit compiled the data covering January 1 through July 20, 2026. The most frequent locations of violations were near Greenwood and Archer and at 2nd Street and South Elgin Avenue, areas dense with downtown bars.
Business owners have observed a decline in late‑night incidents involving unaccompanied minors. Mike Bausch, owner of Andolini, told News on 6 that the curfew has helped keep “kids safe” and reduced “random problems” for businesses that operate late. He noted, “In the last year we have seen a decline in the total number of issues of just people that are unaccompanied minors having some sort of brush up.” Bausch added that the ordinance allows young people to visit downtown establishments when accompanied by an adult, saying, “We’re one of the few places downtown that makes sense for you to go. Anywhere else, if you’re under 21, you really shouldn’t be there.”
Police officials caution that citation numbers alone do not measure success. Richard Muelenberg of the Tulsa Police Department emphasized that the goal is a “happier downtown,” noting that feedback from residents and workers will serve as a “temperature gauge” for the policy’s effectiveness. He said citations are “just one tool” and that the department will continue to assess the ordinance based on community input.
The City Council’s unanimous vote extends the curfew through the next calendar year. Officials indicated they will keep gathering feedback from downtown residents and business owners to determine whether the ordinance should remain beyond that period. As Bausch put it, “This is a safety issue… and it would appear, thus far, that this is the right thing.”
What’s next: The extended curfew will stay in place until at least the end of 2027. City officials said they will continue to monitor citation data and community feedback, with a future review slated for the next council session to decide if the policy should be renewed again.
Sources: newson6.com
