Wildwood police say they’ll be cracking down on unruly teens this summer with a curfew. NBC10’s Ted Greenberg explains.
Authorities in Wildwood, New Jersey, are drawing a line in the sand this summer regarding teens and young adults violating the city's curfew.
Wildwood police said they will be much stricter this year to help avoid anything like what happened on Memorial Day Weekend last year.
"It's insane what’s been going on. Last year, multiple fights," Donovan Ashe of North Wildwood said to NBC10.
The situation had become so out of hand the city declared a temporary state of emergency.
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“We are not going to tolerate it this year down here. We're going to be, you know, vetting the kids that are up here," said Chief Joseph Murphy of the Wildwood Police Department.
This summer season, Murphy says officers will aggressively enforce the city's 10 p.m. curfew for kids 17 and younger and increase their presence on the boardwalk.
“I think the parents should be held responsible, because some of these kids are vandalizing, attacking people," said Ashe.
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The plan also includes police taking a stricter approach involving parents. If their teens were caught violating the curfew, they would face a fine of up to $1,000.
“We will take into custody the juveniles we find up here after 10 p.m., and then we will charge the parents when they come to pick them up. That will be the end result," Murphy said.
“Sometimes, the only way you can get to the kids is through the parents. If you hit them where it hurts, especially in the wallet, that may send a stronger message," Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. shared.
City officials stress that the curfew only applies to unsupervised kids. Those out past 10 p.m. with a parent or guardian can stay on the boardwalk and in other public places.
"Please bring your kids down here. That's, the message we want. We just want the parents to come with them if they want to stay up here that late in the evening," Murphy added.
"We hope we don't have to do this. We're not in the business to chase people out of the community. But when you got those people that want to be the fool, then we have to act accordingly," said Troiano.
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