Mayor Brandon Johnson’s office intervened ahead of a planned City Council vote on a youth curfew proposal, resulting in the introduction of a revised ordinance that would formalize existing police powers to disperse groups of minors.
In December, Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd) introduced a curfew measure allowing Chicago police to impose up to a four-hour curfew anywhere in the city with at least 12 hours’ notice. That plan passed out of the City Council’s Committee on Public Safety earlier this month and was scheduled for a final vote Wednesday.
Hopkins had previously expressed confidence in securing enough support for passage but was uncertain about reaching the 34 votes needed to override a potential mayoral veto. His previous youth curfew proposal was vetoed by Mayor Johnson in June after passing with 27 votes. That version would have allowed police to impose curfews with as little as 30 minutes’ notice.
Shortly before Wednesday’s scheduled vote, Hopkins negotiated with Jason Lee, senior adviser to Mayor Johnson, and Kennedy Bartley, chief of external affairs for the mayor. These discussions led to the introduction of a substitute ordinance about 20 minutes before the final vote.
The new measure, described as a “declaration of disruptive youth gathering,” codifies current police authority by permitting the superintendent to issue such declarations when officers believe large gatherings of minors could result in violence, injuries or significant property damage. This allows police to order youths to disperse from specified areas but does not set time-based restrictions or allow snap curfews.
According to the ordinance, any decision must be based on “objective facts” indicating probable cause—such as social media posts or past incidents tied to specific locations or events.
Some aldermen criticized both the timing and content of the substitute ordinance. Ald. Samantha Nugent (39th) requested more time for review, while Ald. Matt O’Shea (9th) questioned its effectiveness: “It sounds to me like, ‘Go in the corner young man for the rest of class today.’ I’m uncomfortable with it. Is anybody else uncomfortable with this?”
Hopkins agreed to delay the vote until the next City Council meeting so members could ask questions and review details further. He told reporters afterward that he believes this compromise is stronger than his original plan and addresses issues related to last-minute changes in event locations.
“What this would do is codify the procedure for announcing in advance that, A, we’re aware that a teen trend is planned in a given area, and B, we’re going to do something about it,” Hopkins said. “We’re going to be waiting for you. We’re going to meet you when you get off the Red Line. And we’re going to prevent the event from happening, and if it does happen anyway, we’re going to disperse the crowd, including up to making arrests if there’s criminal activity or custody apprehensions for teens.”
Mayor Johnson explained his administration’s intent: “I believe that it sets the city up for … a stronger, more consistent enforcement,” he said after Wednesday’s meeting. “The ultimate goal is to make sure that we’re keeping people safe, and in the event there are individuals who are interested in causing harm, that we can have a tool … that prevents that.”
Under this proposal, teens who ignore dispersal orders would be taken into custody and released into their parents’ care.
The ordinance also requires quarterly reports detailing how often dispersal declarations are used against minors and an annual appearance before City Council’s Committee on Public Safety regarding enforcement.
