TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa’s downtown curfew for minors will last at least another year. During its Oct. 22 meeting, the city council voted in favor of extending the curfew until October 2026.
“It’s just trying to encourage a safe way to be present. I would view it as a harm reduction tool, while simultaneously we need to provide other safe, third spaces for youth to hang out,” District 4 councilor Laura Bellis said, “We also have to really promote safety as best we can downtown and so I think this is a good middle ground for that.”
WATCH: CURFEW EXTENDED: Tulsa Council votes to extend curfew for one year
The curfew prevents minors from loitering downtown between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights; a change from the previous ordinance, which included Thursdays.
Additionally, Tulsa Police will give quarterly reports to the council on the curfew and its impacts.
Coincidentally, the ordinance passed on one of downtown Tulsa's biggest nights.
2 News listened to Lisa Hodges, in from Chicago, for the Paul McCartney concert. 2 News asked her to compare Tulsa’s and Chicago’s downtowns.
“[Tulsa is] cleaner, I love Chicago though, and, just smaller but seems really nice,” Hodges said.
Speaking of concerts, the curfew allows for those and other events. Kids are allowed to attend sanctioned events. The curfew only prevents them from loitering.
So far, Tulsa Police say they have written just eight tickets. Deputy Chief Mark Wollmershauser – addressing the council in September – said some of the people who got those tickets had other run-ins with the law.
TPD’S LATEST UPDATE >>> 2 News’ cameras were rolling as TPD updated the council on the curfew
Meanwhile, 2 News listened to Evan Taylor, objecting to the curfew.
“They’re just gonna go to other places. They’re gonna go hide, and have little parties, in abandoned apartments, under underpasses,” Taylor said, “And they were in one little area … to where we could help control them and I understand it was out of control but that’s where you go talk to them as individuals.”
The new curfew ordinance takes effect immediately. It will last at least until October 2026.
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