OCEAN CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Tighter restrictions are being enforced in Ocean City, New Jersey, as officials try to crack down on the kind of alcohol-fueled teenage gatherings that took place over Memorial Day weekend.
Mayor Jay Gillian, in an announcement posted online Tuesday evening, said beaches will now close at 8 p.m. Backpacks will no longer be allowed on the beach and boardwalk past 8 p.m. Those restrictions are in place for people of all ages.
Boardwalk bathrooms will also close at 10 p.m., and the 1 a.m. curfew for young people will be pushed back to 11 p.m.
“I understand that these new directives will affect many people who are not teens, but it’s important that we stop this type of behavior now,” Gillian said. “We want parents, grandparents and families to know that we’re all in this together, and we will be holding people accountable.”
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Gillian and other officials blame lax state laws that “largely stripped police officers of the ability to question juveniles, search juveniles, and confiscate alcohol. The legislation also eliminates meaningful consequences for juveniles who break these laws.”
Police responded to 999 incidents over Memorial Day weekend — 130 more than the holiday weekend in 2022. Incidents included underage drinking, vandalism, assaults and shoplifting, among other crimes.