NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — City leaders in New Smyrna Beach are considering a big change ahead of this year’s spring break: another teen curfew.
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Last year, what some considered disruptive behavior led commissioners to passing a 60-day curfew for anyone under 18.
Now, city officials are considering another curfew, this one citywide and without an end date.
It’s receiving a lot of support from businesses and residents who said last year’s spring break caused several issues.
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“I hadn’t seen anything like it,” said Matt Clancy, owner of Clancy’s Cantina. “The kids who were in town, parents must’ve just dropped them off and split.”
Police enforced a 60-day curfew because of the disruptive behavior and complaints from residents.
It resulted in 12 violations, nine juvenile civil citations, two notices to appear in court for open container violations and 15 traffic violations to people under 21.
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New Smyrna Beach police said they’ve seen an 89% increase in juvenile arrests, and a 56% increase in citations in the past year.
Through this proposed ordinance, a citywide curfew would be in place for everybody under 18 from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 11 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Parents would get a written warning for the first violation and a $50 fine every instance after that.
The police department is the one presenting the proposal, but said in a statement that the department will not be commenting at this time since the commission is just beginning the process of weighing the decision.
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