Margate putting pressure on parents as juvenile chaos erupts at the Jersey Shore
MARGATE, N.J. - From backpack bans to curfews, towns along the Jersey Shore are taking action to keep residents and visitors safe amid a recent spate of crime among juveniles.
Some say it is not as bad here, but it is serious. There is no boardwalk.
Wawa is their boardwalk in Margate," said Geno Cantell. He says the youth gathering there is a problem.
"You're not able to park in here because of how many teens are sitting here," he said.
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Margate is the latest city to announce a plan, but they are turning to parents to prevent any further issues with kids. Margate Police are not taking a wait and see approach.
"We are pushed to our limit and… we are asking parents to be responsible for the actions of their underage and unsupervised children," police said.
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A curfew will be enforced from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. under the city's "Parental Responsibility" ordinance. An electronic board on Ventnor Avenue flashes a 10 p.m. curfew reminder and the department's Facebook page details the enforcement of an ordinance on parental responsibility.
It reads in part: "Enforcement will take place between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. any time when officers observe a juvenile unsupervised and engaging in any behavior that is unlawful, puts their safety at risk, or if they ignore lawful commands from officers attempting to keep them safe."
If any unsupervised juvenile is found engaging in illegal activity or ignoring the police, they will be taken back to the station to be picked up by a parent.
That parent will then receive a summons, and the juvenile could be charged.
"We, and other police departments and public officials in the state, have asked parents to better supervise their children over the past few years. 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."