The city of Cape May, New Jersey, passed a new curfew for juveniles Thursday in response to recent incidents of disruptive and unruly behavior.<\/p>\n
The council voted unanimously to enact the curfew barring anyone under 18 from being out in the city without a parent or guardian between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new ordinance will also ban kids and teens from the beach starting at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n
Cape May’s police chief said this move is in response to recent incidents of fighting, smoking and drinking involving teens.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“We aren’t against juveniles. We are not saying we don’t want them here,” Cape May Police Chief Dekon Fashaw Sr. said. “While they’re here, we just want them to be responsible.”<\/p>\n
The curfew also follows similar actions by other shore communities such as Ocean City<\/a> and Wildwood<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n City officials believe the teenagers are coming to Cape May because of the curfews that were previously implemented in those areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n “We don’t want to be the afterparty here in Cape May,” one official said.<\/p>\n Several people said the curfew is a good idea and believe it can also help keep young people out of trouble.\u00a0<\/p>\n “Great idea,” Courtney Canzanese said. “The kids should be not walking on the beach after dark or out and about because trouble can happen.”<\/p>\n “If they want to be out at 10:30 at night, gather at somebody’s house,” Noelle Tobiafen said.<\/p>\n Dan Lux added, “It keeps them out of trouble too. It’s good for everybody, I think.”<\/p>\n In addition to the curfew, the city is also barring people from having backpacks on the beach, promenade and other public places between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.<\/p>\n The city says the ban is meant to prevent people from bringing alcohol, drugs and other items into those areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n More from CBS News\n <\/p>\n