Under a new ruling from Mayor Ras Baraka, all kids under 18 years old will be obligated to comply with a nightly curfew from 11pm – 5:30am from Fridays – Sundays.
The program officially dubbed the “Summer Safety Initiative” intends to ensure all Newark residents “enjoy a safe and fun-filled summer,” said Mayor Baraka, and includes more than just the juvenile curfew.
“This year, we are taking a holistic approach by facilitating the leadership of the Office of Violence Prevention and Trauma Recovery in pursuing this goal. OVPTR is dedicated to meeting both the practical and social needs of Newark youth, from career-development opportunities to healing circles, educational programs, and referral services, as well as music, dance, fine arts, and other educational and entertainment-based programs,” he added.
Summer Safety Initiative officially launched on Friday, May 3rd. Once school lets out (June 21), the curfew will extend to seven days a week, rather than just weekends. Certain exceptions will be made for school activities, jobs, etc.
Kids under 18 out past the curfew must be supervised by an adult or guardian if they’re more than 100 yards from their home. If youth are found disobeying the curfew unsupervised, Newark Police will report said violators to the OVPTR. An OVPTR’s Wellness Response Team representative will then come to drive the youth to their home address.
According to the city press release, if no guardian or parent can be reached or is not home for when the child is getting dropped off, they will redirect the minor to a Re-Engagement Center. The curfew was apparently enacted decades ago but wasn’t being enforced.
In addition to the curfew, OVPTR will launch a ‘Summer of Hope’ calendar for the Newark youth, including everything form Movie Night to Cops & Kids events.
“These programs will complement our year-round offering of job-training opportunities, needs-based referrals, and other social services. We hired 150 high-risk youth for our Summer Safe Academy, and are partnering with the Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs, and Senior Services and the Arts and Education District to provide programming in all of our ‘Hot Spot’ locations, starting this June,” shared OVPTR Director Kyleesha Wingfield-Hill.
Learn more about the initiative on Newark’s official city website.