Are your kids out late? Manatee County OKs curfew for children under 16
On Tuesday, Manatee County commissioners enacted a juvenile curfew that limits when minors under 16 are allowed in public by themselves.
Residents and commissioners in support of the curfew say it will help keep youth safe and curb crime, but a handful of community members who spoke in opposition of the curfew shared concerns about enforcement and efficacy.
Manatee County commissioners voted 5-2 Tuesday to approve the curfew for the unincorporated parts of the county, effective immediately. Commissioners George Kruse and Mike Rahn voted in opposition.
The curfew prohibits juveniles under 16 years old from being in public places, common areas and businesses from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sundays through Thursdays, and between 12:01 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Additionally, juveniles who are suspended or expelled from school “may not be or stay unnecessarily” in those public places, or within 1,000 feet of a school, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on school days.
Does the curfew have exceptions?
There are exceptions to the curfew including emergencies, when the minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, going to and from work, returning from a school function or being on the sidewalk near where the minor lives.
A staff report states the rules were introduced due to community feedback sharing concerns about late-night juvenile activity, including disorderly conduct, vandalism, theft and minors becoming victims of crimes.
Commissioner Bob McCann first introduced the idea in August. Guidelines for the curfew exist under a state statute that requires counties to enact an ordinance for the curfews to go into effect.
The curfew only applies to the unincorporated Manatee County, meaning municipalities like the City of Anna Maria would need to adopt an ordinance to embrace the curfew.
Law enforcement leaders support Manatee curfew
Manatee County Sheriff Rick Wells and Bradenton Police Chief Josh Cramer attended the meeting in support of the curfew. The City of Bradenton already has a youth curfew with similar guidelines.
Wells emphasized that his deputies would focus on giving warnings and ensuring juveniles were safe, rather than issuing fines.
“Our primary goal is education,” Wells said. “When you speak about educating these young people in our community, we’re just trying to get them home safely.”
However, the rules state that minors who violate curfew — and parents who knowingly allow their child to violate curfew — can be subject to a $50 fine for each violation after the first written warning.
Wells said his focus was making sure the community’s youth are safe.
“We’re not trying to penalize them, we’re not trying to put anything on their record, we’re not trying to hurt them down the road,” Wells said. “We’re trying to help them.”
How will Manatee deputies enforce curfew?
The curfew rules state that a minor found in violation of the curfew should be taken into custody and to a police station, religious facility or civic organization. An officer must also try to make contact with the minor’s parents to pick them up and, if the parent is not reached within two hours, the officer may transport the minor to their residence.
Wells also said deputies could ask minors what they were doing out during curfew hours and, if the response was valid, they would be left with a warning. He added that if a juvenile decides they don’t want to talk to an officer asking them what they’re up to, they can walk away.
“We’re going to speak to them and try to determine, you know, their age and what they’re doing,” Wells said. “If they don’t like it, they can leave, and they have the right to do so.”
Commission debates youth curfew
That level of “officer discretion” and flexibility left some commissioners with more questions.
Responses from commissioners varied, but the most outspoken opponent of the curfew was Kruse, who called it “government overreach.”
“I just don’t trust rules that are so overly subjective in nature, because subjectivity usually goes in one direction … I think it’s government overreach in the first place,” Kruse said.
McCann disagreed and reaffirmed his support for the idea.
“This is a great educational activity, and it’s a public safety issue,” McCann said on Tuesday. “It has nothing to do with overriding parents or parental rights. It actually gives the parents a stronger right to tell your kids, ‘You need to be home.’”
Commissioner Amanda Ballard, a former attorney in the child welfare system, also supported the curfew, mainly as a way to keep children safe.
“There are a lot of kids, unfortunately, who are out on the streets. Their parents don’t even know,” Ballard said. “They are getting themselves into very, potentially, dangerous situations. We have a lot of kids that end up being trafficked. We have a lot of kids that get themselves into negative situations and end up committing crimes themselves.”
Residents react to Manatee County curfew
Public comment also ranged from support to opposition. Some community members cited past experiences with youth getting into bad situations in late hours, while others questioned if this was the best use of sheriff’s office resources.
Tsi Day Smyth was one resident who understood that crime is an issue, but spoke in opposition to the curfew.
“With respect, this is one of the most asinine solutions I’ve ever heard in my life,” Smyth said. “There is no way to enforce this, at least not in a way that is just to our residents here in Manatee County.”
Omar Edwards, the associate director of strategic planning initiatives for the School District of Manatee County, said the pros outweigh the cons in the curfew.
“We’re going to have a lot of work to do to put strategies in to ensure that we all come together as a community and make sure that we educate our community,” Edwards said. “What we need as a school district for students not to be out fishing at midnight, but to be home well rested for a quality instructional day when they return to school the following day.”
Despite some public concern and requests for additional public meetings, the commission voted 5-2 to approve the ordinance.
This story was originally published November 20, 2025 at 5:50 AM.
