SEA ISLE CITY, N.J. (KYW Newsradio) — Many Jersey shore towns this summer have been facing a similar problem — younger people, teenagers in particular, are misbehaving and causing all sorts of problems.
Sea Isle City is the latest beach town to announce an initiative to try to fix this.
Mayor Leonard Desiderio last week said in a statement he's instructed the police department "to use all available resources to increase police presence in our city."
This was the first weekend of additional cops on patrol.
"Definitely improved this weekend," said summer resident Cathy McGowan. "A lot more police presence, taking people off of the beach. A lot of cops around all weekend."
McGowan lives in one of the condominiums along Pleasure Avenue, a block from the Promenade. She told KYW Newsradio she's seen her fair share of disruptive behavior.
"Using our dumpsters to go to the bathroom all summer," she explained. "Kids riding their bikes in the middle of the street, just don't care about the rules of the road, cursing."
Tony and Sandy Ieradi live one condo building over during the season.
"It's been mostly gangs of kids driving around,” said Tony Ieradi. "There's been some destruction. They're breaking memorial benches up on the Promenade. They've been breaking the rails on beach access paths."
"They're extremely disrespectful," added Sandy Ieradi. "They swear at [adults]. They've actually beaten up on a few people who live in town. It's just the most disruptive, juvenile behavior we've ever seen."
Desiderio asked condos and businesses to add "No Trespassing" signs "which will give the police more ability to deal with unwanted people on private property," his statement read.
Those signs are now popping up all over town.
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To curb loitering, the mayor made beach entrances part of the beaches, which have a 10 p.m. curfew that goes into effect each night.
"I feel that this initiative will make a positive impact on the unruly groups of youths who are disturbing the peace and acting in irresponsible and unlawful ways," part of his statement read.
"This season, we haven't seen anything like it in years," Tony Ieradi added of this behavior, but said he already noticed improvement this weekend with the additional officers in place. He believes the city is taking all the right steps so far to address the issue.
Ocean City increased police presence earlier in the summer because of unruly teenagers. Avalon implemented a beach curfew as well last month for the same reason.