Little Rock board adopts temporary citywide juvenile curfew, directs data collection and stepped-up enforcement

The Little Rock City Board of Directors on July 15 approved an emergency ordinance adding a temporary juvenile curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., effective immediately through Sept. 2, 2025, and approved emergency clauses to make the rule enforceable.

Board members said the temporary rule responds to recent large gatherings of juveniles in downtown and the River Market District that city leaders and police say have produced safety concerns. The board also directed staff to develop data on summer incidents to inform whether the board should extend or revise the policy after the temporary period.

Mayor Frank Scott Jr. opened the discussion by placing the ordinance on third reading; a city staff member asked Tom to explain the amendment. Tom said the change is “to add a new subsection d” and that "the hours will be 10:00PM to 05:00AM throughout the city 7 days a week." The ordinance preserves longstanding exceptions such as travel to and from work and accompanying adults,…