Due to “numerous incidents of civil unrest” caused by young adults and juveniles, officials in Wildwood, New Jersey, closed the boardwalk early Monday morning and issued a state of emergency.
“Wildwood will not tolerate unruly, undisciplined, unparented children nor will we stand by while the laws of the state tie the hands of the police,” said Mayor Troiano in a statement. “We wholeheartedly support the City of Wildwood Police Department in protecting this community from these nuisance crowds on our boardwalk and in the city.”
According to a joint press release, the Wildwood Police Department responded to an “irrepressible number of calls for service” in the City of Wildwood on Saturday evening.
As a result, Wildwood officials requested assistance from several agencies in Cape May County.
Due to the high volume of calls, the police department was unable to respond to certain calls for service within the city for a period of time.
On Sunday, Chief Joseph Murphy advised city commissioners and the emergency management coordinator that there were “emergent conditions” stemming from the “civil unrest” on the boardwalk.
Based on this advisement, a “local disaster emergency was declared” early Monday morning, which included the closure of the boardwalk.
The declaration allowed the city to effectively address numerous incidents of civil unrest and ensure the safety and welfare of residents and visitors.
The state of emergency was declared after a 15-year-old boy was stabbed on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey, on Saturday, according to NBC Philadelphia. The teenager was transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
