Rehoboth to consider youth curfew

In response to two recent events on or near the beach that required police intervention, Rehoboth Beach officials are considering the implementation of a curfew.

City Manager Taylour Tedder addressed the incidents during a commissioner workshop May 5, a couple days after the second one. A short time later the same day, the police department issued a statement on the incidents.

“We are aware that these incidents may have caused alarm to our residents, visitors and businesses. The Rehoboth Beach Police Department responds to and fully investigates all reports of criminal activity. Our mission to safeguard our community remains tireless,” said the statement.

According to the police, the first incident occurred the evening of April 30.

The police were called to the ocean block of Rodney Street at little after 5 p.m. for multiple parking violations. When there, said the report, the responding officers observed a large crowd, estimated to be 250 people, and spoke with several people about parking, music and smoking violations.

The same night, a couple hours later, a second report was made about the same group, alleging that some individuals were urinating in the dunes. Officers responded to the area and observed no violations, said the report.

The following morning, a large amount of trash had been left behind on the beach, said the report. No citations were issued, because officers did not observe any littering while on the scene.

Two days later, May 2, officers responded to the ocean block of Rehoboth Avenue for a report of a large fight in progress around 8:30 p.m. The report said, upon their arrival, officers did not see any active fighting, but they did observe a crowd of about 100 people that matched the description of the group involved in the fight. Due to the size of the crowd and the nature of the call, officers requested additional police presence, and Delaware State Police and Dewey Beach Police provided additional officers, who helped disperse the crowd.

According to the report, victims involved in the fight were identified and treated by emergency medical services, but were not cooperative at the scene. A third victim had damage to their car as a result of the fight. The investigation is still ongoing.

During the May 5 meeting, Tedder said he has the power to implement an emergency curfew while commissioners decide how they want to proceed on the issue.

Commissioner Patrick Gossett, who has brought up curfew implementation in the past, said this is an issue that needs to be addressed. Rehoboth is the only city around here that doesn’t have one, which means it’s going to draw people who know that, he said during the meeting.

After the meeting, Mayor Stan Mills said the city was still gathering information on the incidents and on what the details of a curfew might be. This will be brought back for a future meeting, he said.

Following the meeting, Police Chief Keith Banks said the department knew it was two separate groups through their investigation, but declined to give more information because it was an active investigation.

Banks said he is in favor of a curfew, but the details of implementation and possible exceptions still need to be figured out. Also, he said, curfews don’t solve all the problems because sometimes the events involve adults.

The city’s seasonal officers are scheduled to begin patrolling in the coming weeks, said Banks.

Tedder and Banks said they have drafted an emergency curfew order, but they want the city solicitor to review it for legality and then have city stakeholders review it before implementation.