KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Discussions continue Friday on expanding the summer curfew currently in effect in Kansas City to a year-round curfew.
Right now, if you’re under 18 years old, you are not allowed to hang out in the Plaza and other entertainment districts after nine o’clock unless you are with a parent or guardian.
This nine o’clock curfew is only enforced in the five entertainment districts – the Plaza, Power and Light, 18th and Vine, Zona Rosa and Westport.
Everywhere else in the city, kids under 18 need to be home by eleven o’clock Sunday through Thursday and midnight on Friday and Saturday.
The summer curfew idea came about in August of 2011, after someone shot three teens at the Plaza.
Mayor Sly James was there at the time…and his security detail threw him to the ground as bullets rang out nearby.
He will be meeting with leaders from the five entertainment districts Friday to discuss the merits of a year round curfew and brainstorm other solutions to stop young kids from causing trouble in the entertainment districts.
“There is no urgency since the summer curfew is in effect, and by the end of summer we’ll know better what we’re going to do. It may require us putting together a permanent group to shepherd things through and to continue to evolve the discussion,” said Mayor Sly James.
Currently, the city keeps five of its community centers open late during the weekends, so kids have a place to hang out and play basketball.
Mayor James says not as many kids are taking part in this program as he would like.
He hopes to get community leaders more involved in providing alternatives to kids on weekends to keep them out of trouble.