South Orange cops deployed as youths clog downtown
By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer
A group of 50 youths in downtown South Orange quickly grew in number to between 300 and 500 Saturday night as overwhelmed police needed help from neighboring departments to disperse the crowd.
Sidewalks were packed sporadically along South Orange Avenue and Scotland Road, and teens were jaywalking in the streets. There was one reported robbery and one 18-year-old was arrested for drug possession. South Orange Police deployed nine officers and called the conduct of the youths a “disgrace.” Police reported no property damage and no officers were injured in breaking up the crowd.
Last year, the town had problems with crowds in the downtown, but nothing like what happened this past weekend. The youths apparently used sites like Facebook and Twitter to communicate their plans for coming to South Orange, a place referred to on the Internet as the “Dah Ville.”
“We were overwhelmed in a short amount of time,” Police Chief James M. Chelel said Monday.
The size of the crowd and its behavior had residents and officials concerned.
“Saturday was absolute mayhem,” said resident Claudia Mattheiss, who was there.
Starting around 8:15 p.m., the crowd numbered about 50 people who were behaved, Chelel said. But in a span of 30 minutes, it reached as many as 500, mostly teens. Chelel, estimating that 80 percent of the crowd came from outside South Orange, said the village is viewed as a safer community to congregate than the towns where the youths live.
He promised Tuesday to step up police presence and institute a zero tolerance this weekend.
Chelel addressed about 60 concerned residents and merchants in Village Hall who came to the Citizens Public Safety Committee meeting to ask questions about Saturday, and how the town planned to avoid a repeat this weekend.
Debra Davidson expressed concern for the safety of Jespy House clients like herself who might wind up getting harmed.
A group of 50 youths in downtown South Orange quickly grew in number to between 300 and 500 Saturday night as overwhelmed police needed help from neighboring departments to disperse the crowd.
Sidewalks were packed sporadically along South Orange Avenue and Scotland Road, and teens were jaywalking in the streets. There was one reported robbery and one 18-year-old was arrested for drug possession. South Orange Police deployed nine officers and called the conduct of the youths a “disgrace.” Police reported no property damage and no officers were injured in breaking up the crowd.
Last year, the town had problems with crowds in the downtown, but nothing like what happened this past weekend. The youths apparently used sites like Facebook and Twitter to communicate their plans for coming to South Orange, a place referred to on the Internet as the “Dah Ville.”
“We were overwhelmed in a short amount of time,” Police Chief James M. Chelel said Monday.
The size of the crowd and its behavior had residents and officials concerned.
“Saturday was absolute mayhem,” said resident Claudia Mattheiss, who was there.
Starting around 8:15 p.m., the crowd numbered about 50 people who were behaved, Chelel said. But in a span of 30 minutes, it reached as many as 500, mostly teens. Chelel, estimating that 80 percent of the crowd came from outside South Orange, said the village is viewed as a safer community to congregate than the towns where the youths live.
He promised Tuesday to step up police presence and institute a zero tolerance this weekend.
Chelel addressed about 60 concerned residents and merchants in Village Hall who came to the Citizens Public Safety Committee meeting to ask questions about Saturday, and how the town planned to avoid a repeat this weekend.
Debra Davidson expressed concern for the safety of Jespy House clients like herself who might wind up getting harmed.
Read more in this week's News-Record, Click Here to SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Views: 4
Comment
© 2012 Created by My Town Navigator.
You need to be a member of South Orange Navigator to add comments!
Join South Orange Navigator