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The Margate City Police Department posted on Facebook on Wednesday, June 12 that officers will take "a more proactive approach" to enforcing the city's curfew for children. An ordinance said it's illegal for anyone 17 years old or younger to "loiter, idle, wander, [or] stroll" without adult supervision between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Margate police said it'll try to prevent problems from large groups of teens and young adults.
"In the past, MCPD has been able to keep an eye on the crowds with increased manpower and additional patrols, but like in towns up and down the coast, we are pushed to our limit, and with the recent highly publicized incidents, we are asking parents to be responsible for the actions of their underage and unsupervised children," Margate police said.
Police also said teens violating the curfew with illegal or dangerous behavior will be held at police headquarters until "a responsible adult" takes custody of them and a parent will be issued a summons.
"We, and other police departments and public officials in the state, have asked parents to better supervise their children over the past few years," said Margate police. "To date, those calls have been met with limited, or no, success leading us to take this action to ensure the safety of those in the community."
Other coastal communities have warned about violence and chaos caused by teens or young adults.
A 15-year-old was stabbed in the stomach during a large fight on the Ocean City Boardwalk on Saturday, May 25. A teen was arrested in Pleasantville on Tuesday, June 4, and charged with first-degree attempted murder.
Wildwood police sent out a warning after a social media post promoted a beach "pop-up" party on the weekend of Saturday, June 15. The city declared a state of emergency over Memorial Day weekend after police reported "civil unrest" from groups of teens and young adults.
Long Branch increased police presence after a "pop-up" party was advertised on social media that was scheduled for Saturday, June 8.
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