D.C. police are turning the U Street corridor into an expanded juvenile curfew zone this weekend — a new authority granted to the department under emergency legislation signed by the mayor earlier this month.
The District’s expanded citywide curfew begins nightly at 11 p.m., thanks to the legislation. But that law also granted D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith the power to order a juvenile curfew zone in an area where “large groups of youths are gathering or intend to gather in a manner that poses a risk of substantial harm to public safety,” the department said in a news release.
The special designation for the U Street corridor begins Friday night and lasts through Sunday. Within the zone, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., anyone age 17 and under is prohibited from gathering in a group of nine or more in any public place or at any establishment, according to D.C. police.
Exceptions to the curfew are listed on the police department’s website. The exact perimeter for this weekend’s heightened curfew zone in the U Street corridor is as follows:
- To the north — V Street from 15th Street to Vermont Avenue, Northwest, Vermont Avenue from V Street to Florida Avenue, Northwest, Florida Avenue from Vermont Avenue to V Street, Northwest, and V Street from Florida Avenue to Georgia Avenue, Northwest
- To the east — Georgia Avenue / 7th Street from V Street to T Street, Northwest
- To the south — T Street from 7th Street to 15th Street, Northwest
- To the west — 15th Street from T Street to V Street, Northwest
On the first night of the U Street Corridor’s extended juvenile curfew zone, D.C. police cars covered every other block while signs on the order were posted on every bus stop. The yellow sign stated failure to comply with the order “may result in arrest.”
Marques Parker, 25, was stunned to see the signs outside of his job at the &Pizza next to the U Street Metro Station. However, he said foot traffic on weekends has gotten worse, making it hard to feel safe.
“It’s insane, but I definitely think it’s much needed,” Parker told WTOP’s José Umaña. “It’s definitely crowded, like between 16 to 18 year-olds, and they walk up and down the street, nowhere to go, and it’s aimless. And sometimes I feel it can get dangerous.”
Keishaun Wheeler, who works as a private security guard on U Street, agrees with the measure.
“Each and every weekend, it’s ridiculous, it’s crazy,” Wheeler said. “It’s a bunch of teens all over the place, running, jumping, lighting fireworks all over the place.”
While he feels safe on U Street, Wheeler said he’s heard from older people and family members that they don’t want to travel to the neighborhood, despite all its famous bars and restaurants. He hopes measures like D.C.’s youth curfew and the zones will encourage those people to return to the corridor.
“People don’t want to come out here and I got to say, ‘excuse me,’ and they see 20 youth bumping them, and they keep passing by,” he said. “It shouldn’t have to be like that.”
D.C. native Treasure L., 25, said she doesn’t come by the neighborhood as often as she used to after her friend died on U Street. While the curfew zones are a start, Treasure said a lot more needs to be done.
“D.C. especially, has not gotten no better over the years,” she said. “(It) has gotten only worse. The violence has gotten worse. The gun violence has gotten worse, and there’s more police on patrol than ever before.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the expanded curfew legislation after a raucous Fourth of July weekend, during which around 20 boys, including a 12-year-old, were arrested and charged with possessing or shooting off fireworks or other offenses, according to D.C. police. Most of the arrests were at Navy Yard or along the U Street corridor.
It was just the latest in a string of recent incidents involving groups of teens committing crimes in the D.C. area.
Earlier this week, leaders in Laurel, Maryland, also moved to enact a summer curfew.
WTOP’s José Umaña contributed to this report.
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