Youth Protection Safety Ordinance Implementation Strategy Approved

Published on June 17, 2025

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.- The Fayetteville City Council approved the implementation strategy for the Youth Protection Safety Ordinance during the June 9, 2025 regular meeting, establishing a citywide youth curfew and detailed protocols for education, enforcement and community support.

Under the ordinance, effective May 26, 2025, youth ages 16 years old and under are prohibited from being in any public place or on the premises of an establishment between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

During a 30-day educational grace period from June 9 to July 9, no citations will be issued but rather the focus will be on education and preventing future violations. Once the educational grace period ends, officers will take the appropriate enforcement actions which include courtesy reminders, written warnings, and criminal citations if necessary. Reports to the Department of Social Services will be made if needed.

All sworn personnel will undergo training covering ordinance requirements, enforcement judgment, response scenarios and coordination with DSS, Department of Juvenile Justice and other community support agencies.

A public education campaign featuring an ordinance FAQ landing page, social-media outreach, school-based messaging and informational flyers will emphasize youth safety and support.

To engage youth constructively during curfew hours, pilot late-night events are scheduled for:

June 28 at the Community Outreach Center
July 11 at College Lakes Recreation Center
August 15 at Cliffdale Recreation Center

Each event will offer mentored recreation, on-site supervision by Parks and Recreation staff at the recreation center locations and police liaisons at all three events, transportation partnerships and wraparound support from nonprofits and faith-based groups. As plans for these events are finalized, residents will be able to find more information about the events on the City’s social media platforms and FayettevilleNC.gov/YouthSafety.

Mayor Mitch Colvin lauded the strategy’s balance of “firm public-safety measures with positive, structured opportunities for our young people,” adding that the City “stands ready to guide, protect and empower families across Fayetteville. We want to focus on youth safety, not punishing our youth.”

Any person age 17 and above, including parents, guardians, and business owners, found in violation of the ordinance may face a Class 3 misdemeanor and a maximum fine of $500.00.

Permitted activities during the restricted hours address a range of real-world scenarios:

Parental or guardian accompaniment: Youth accompanied by a parent or court-appointed guardian at any time is permitted.
Authorized adult escort: Travel with an adult 21 years old or older who is properly authorized by the parent or guardian for a designated route and purpose within a specified area.
Errands on a direct route: Running a parental-approved errand along the shortest reasonable path until 11:30 p.m.
Motor vehicle travel: Interstate travel through the City, or travel with consenting adults in a vehicle, including work-related commutes.
Emergencies: Responding to fires, accidents or other urgent medical or safety needs.
Supervised activities: Attending or traveling to and from official school, religious or recreational events supervised by adults and sponsored by schools, civic groups or the City.
First Amendment activities: Participating in religious services, protests or other constitutionally protected expression.
Married or emancipated juveniles: Those legally emancipated or married are not subject to the curfew.
Special permits: The Chief of Police may issue individual permits or broader regulations for circumstances demonstrating reasonable necessity.

City staff will report back by October 2026 with recommendations on expanding Crime Stoppers rewards, adopting a clear-bag and mask policy for special events and exploring a midnight basketball pilot program.

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