WILDWOOD – A large number of juveniles engaged in “rioting and criminal mischief” was cited as the reason for the City of Wildwood fast-tracking an ordinance to pull back the summertime juvenile curfew from 1 a.m. to midnight.
City Solicitor Louis DeLollis told the commissioners, July 12, that Ordinance 1267-23 was being created on an emergency basis and would go into effect immediately. In general, ordinances have a 20-day waiting period before going into effect.
“This is a public health and safety issue,” DeLollis said.
The emergency situation was described in the ordinance, where it outlined crowds of unruly juveniles congregating on and near the boardwalk and elsewhere over Independence Day weekend.
The ordinance says, in one incident, there were approximately 60 juveniles congregating in one area, failing to disperse and “engaging in widespread acts of rioting and criminal mischief in and around the boardwalk area in the early hours,” which was deemed to be a danger to bystanders, first responders, and to the juveniles themselves.
The ordinance says, “… previous efforts to safely manage the conduct of these crowds of juveniles, which had largely succeeded in prior years, have proved less effective during the current summer season.”
The ordinance cites New Jersey statute NJSA 40:48-2.52, which authorizes municipalities to establish a juvenile curfew between midnight and 6 a.m., unless the juvenile is accompanied by parents or a guardian, or is engaged in work or traveling from work, or another lawful activity.
The ordinance says, by statute, it is unlawful for a parent to allow an unaccompanied juvenile to be on any public street during the stated hours (midnight to 6 a.m.).
The ordinance also includes a provision that says the congregation of 10 or more juveniles in a public or quasi-public space during curfew hours will constitute a breach of the peace.
Officers are required to give up to two curbside warnings to curtail violations. After the second curbside warning, if there is no compliance, the officer may issue a stationhouse adjustment, which includes the juvenile’s parents or guardian.
No summons will be issued to the juvenile, but the parent, guardian, or caretaker of the juvenile faces a penalty of up to 90 days in jail and up to a $2,000 fine.
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