UPDATE: Downtown youth curfew is now law

The recently proposed youth curfew for downtown Charleston became law on June 17, following a vote by the Charleston City Council.

The new ordinance bans minors 17 and younger from King Street and the central business district after 9 p.m.

The curfew took immediate effect after the June 17 unanimous vote, but the Charleston Police Department won’t begin enforcement until June 27, to allow time to train officers. 

As reported in a recent story in The Daniel Island News, city officials had stated that over the past year the Charleston Police Department had responded to over 40 late-night incidents between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. involving juveniles along the King Street corridor, including drug possession, assaults, vehicle break-ins, weapons violations, vandalism, and underage drinking.

In response to these patterns, and aligned with when many local establishments checking begin IDs, CPD has recommended a targeted curfew for juveniles in the Central Business District. 

The curfew will apply from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., Thursday-Sunday throughout most of the year and every night in June, July, and August on:

• King Street from Carolina Street to Broad Street,

• Market Street, east of King Street,

• East Bay Street, from Market to Broad Streets.

If a minor is found out during curfew hours, officers will ask them to leave the area and go home. If needed, a parent or guardian will be contacted to pick them up. 

There are exceptions for those accompanied by a parent or guardian, working, having an emergency, attending a sponsored event, or exercising First Amendment rights. 

In a previous announcement calling for the law’s implementation, the council stated, “We hope this initiative will help keep King Street safe for our youth, officers, residents, visitors, and businesses. This ordinance aims to serve as a deterrent, helping address issues before they escalate.”