Dallas Strip Club Curfew Reduces Crime After Years of Legal Battles

Controversial Policy Delivers Results

After nearly three years of legal challenges and heated public debates, Dallas officials say their controversial 2 a.m. curfew for strip clubs and adult businesses is working. Dallas police report the ordinance has contributed to a decrease in crimes reported to a federal database that tracks crimes nationwide , validating the city's bold approach to reducing violent crime in problem areas.

The Dallas City Council passed the ordinance in January 2022, with police and other city officials arguing the measure could help reduce violent crime offenses . Data presented to officials showed that from 2019 to 2021, police received more calls to sexually oriented businesses between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. than between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., with more than 20% of nearly 550 aggravated assaults around sex businesses occurring during those overnight hours .

Four years after the initial proposal, Council Member Cara Mendelsohn said the data shows clear results , telling police: "I just want to say thank you, thank you. You guys pushed for it, we supported you through multiple lawsuits and look what's happened — you've helped make everybody safer."

Legal Battles and Supreme Court Victory

The path to enforcement proved rocky. The ordinance immediately sparked a lawsuit from the Association of Club Executives of Dallas, an adult novelty store, and four city strip clubs . A federal judge initially ruled for the plaintiffs in May 2022, but that decision was overturned by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in October 2023, leading to years of legal challenges that included injunctions preventing enforcement for more than a year .

The Supreme Court declined to review the case in March 2024 , clearing the final legal hurdle. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling stated: "We cannot say that the Ordinance substantially or disproportionately restricts speech. It leaves [sexually-oriented businesses] free to open for twenty hours a day, seven days a week, while also, in the City's reasonable view, curtailing the violent crime with which the City was concerned."

Dallas police officially began enforcing the ordinance at the end of November 2023 following the appellate ruling . All 34 sexually-oriented businesses in the city were notified and were in compliance after the first day of enforcement .

Economic Impact and Worker Concerns

The policy sparked intense opposition from industry workers who feared economic hardship. Many strip club owners and employees spoke out against the ordinance, saying it would reduce their work hours, with some employees fearing they would lose their jobs and others saying they needed the work to take care of loved ones and recover financially from the COVID pandemic .

Businesses found in violation could lose their license, with the ordinance adding the possibility of a penalty of no more than $4,000 and no more than one year of jail time for operators . A February memo from Deputy City Manager Jon Fortune reported that two businesses had their licenses suspended after police investigators determined they violated the ordinance, with one business serving its suspension and getting back in compliance while the other appealed .

Mayor Eric Johnson and other supporters promised assistance programs would be available for workers, with Johnson stating: "What this discussion has highlighted is our need to focus on workforce development in our city and focus on upskilling our residents" .

A Model for Other Cities

Dallas isn't alone in this approach. Tarrant County passed a similar ordinance requiring sexually oriented businesses in unincorporated areas to close by 1 a.m., responding to problems at Temptations Cabaret, which local officials called "a hotbed of crime" before it had its business permit revoked and closed .

The success in Dallas could influence similar policies nationwide as cities grapple with balancing public safety concerns against constitutional protections and economic impacts. While the legal battles consumed years and significant resources, city officials now point to the crime reduction data as justification for their persistence through the lengthy court challenges.