As Warner Robins sees uptick in youth crime, it issues reminder of longstanding curfews

The City of Warner Robins issued a reminder Friday about its longstanding curfew for youths aged 17 and under, with the exception of those traveling to work and school-related functions.

The curfew time is between 12 midnight to 5 a.m., and parents can be held liable for their child breaking curfew, city officials said in an online statement.

Mandy Stella, city spokeswoman, said the ordinance has been round since the late 1970s.

But some social media users say the prolonged curfew has had no beneficial impact on the community, citing causes such as parents’ lack of accountability for their children and city officials’ failure to enforce restrictions.

“This isn’t new to the city,” said Mark Ertel Jr. “Why is it just now being brought up? Recent violence? The city can publish it to Facebook, but will Warner Robins police enforce it? With Warner Robins police being short staffed, do we have the police coverage to enforce it?”

According to Warner Robins Mayor LaRhonda Patrick, the city has seen an uptick in violent youth crime.

“We have to follow the data, which tells us that these sorts of violent crimes are on the rise in our community youth,” she said at a town hall meeting in February.

The Warner Robins Police Department has made more than 60 juvenile arrests in the past year, though that doesn’t include Child in Need of Services violations, Sgt. Patrick Allen told The Telegraph.

On Monday, a Warner Robins middle school student was arrested and charged with eight counts of burglary stemming from recent break-ins in the area.

On Friday, a teenager suffered from four gunshot wounds on Delaware Avenue in Warner Robins, which launched an aggravated assault investigation.

But some online users commend the city’s continued decision, citing it as an attempt to address youth crime.

“I knew it was coming, too,” resident Gina Nixon commented on the Facebook post. “These kids these days are moving reckless and don’t have any care for authority. I’m glad they did [something].”

The city also has placed a curfew on all city parks for all ages.

“All city parks shall be closed between the hours of dusk and 6:00 a.m. with exception of city-sponsored organized events held on lighted facilities which may continue past dusk, but only until their conclusion. The chief of police or designee is authorized to issue special permits to allow use of the parks during the otherwise prohibited hours, and the mayor or the chief of police or their designees are authorized to close parks earlier than dusk if deemed necessary for public safety purposes,” the statement said.

Stella said the park curfew has been around since the early ‘90s.