51% of All People Arrested in Wildwood, NJ, in July Were Teenagers

• Wildwood, NJ, is enforcing a strict teen curfew this summer
• In July, over half of all arrests involved people 19 or younger
• Police say the crackdown is a direct response to past summers of chaos

One Jersey shore town that vowed to crack down on rowdy and disruptive teenagers this summer is doing just that.

So much so that out of all of the people that were arrested in July, more than half were 19 years old or younger, and one kid was only 12.

Years of Chaos Lead to Action

Following a few years of chaotic summers with teens that caused mayhem seemingly every weekend, the City of Wildwood made headlines back in April when it announced that a 10 PM curfew for all minors would be "strictly enforced" this summer — and Mayor Ernie Troiano made it very clear: "This isn’t a suggestion — it’s the law."

Simply put, kids and teenagers in Wildwood must be with a parent or legal guardian after 10 PM. If not, both the kid and the parents could be arrested.

Additional Rules to Keep Order

In addition to that curfew, the city announced it would be taking a harder stance by limiting large bags on the boardwalk after 8 PM, no alcohol on the boardwalk and beaches, and a ban on pop-up parties and large unsanctioned events.

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The results of the city's efforts are nothing short of impressive.

July Crime Stats Reveal Teen Arrest Surge

The Wildwood Police Department released its monthly statistics for July, and, as you would expect, they were busy. After all, Wildwood has been a summer destination for decades.

Last month, officials reported 7,374 calls for service, which is about 238 per day. Those included the following:

• 376 traffic stops
• 128 accident investigations
• 55 noise complaints

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Over Half of Arrests Were Teens

Officers also arrested 138 people last month, and, according to data from the department, 71 of those were between the ages of 12 and 19, which is about 51% of all people taken into custody.

Of those arrested, many were from out of the area — West Chester, Willow Grove, Moorestown, Pennsauken, Philadelphia — but there were also quite a few locals. Many are facing curfew violations, but some have been charged with shoplifting and disorderly conduct.

Notable Arrests in July

Some highlights:

• A 12-year-old from Bellmawr was arrested on the 4th of July and charged with shoplifting
• A 13-year-old from Wildwood was arrested for shoplifting on July 20th
• A 17-year-old from Pennsauken was charged with possession of a handgun on July 5th
• Two teenagers were charged with exhibition driving in July