Wildwood bans backpacks after issuing a ‘disaster emergency’ over Memorial Day weekend

After a tumultuous Memorial Day weekend in Wildwood, backpacks are now banned at night in the coastal family vacation town.

From May 1 to Sept. 30, no bags larger than 8 inches in depth will be allowed on or near the boardwalk between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. in Wildwood. This includes backpacks, fanny packs, cinch bags, coolers, briefcases, luggage, computer bags, and camera bags. The ordinance, effective immediately, bypasses the usual requirement of two public readings due to the influx of young people and teenagers at the Jersey Shore as the school year ends.

“We are pleased to announce the passing of the ‘Backpack Ordinance,’” said Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano Jr. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the Wildwood Police Department, the Governor’s Office, law enforcement throughout the state, our neighboring shore towns, and parents and teens to ensure a safe and enjoyable time for everyone.”

Reminders of the backpack ban will be posted along the boardwalk and announced through speakers every day. If a police officer issues a warning to someone wearing a backpack, that will be considered the second warning. Afterward, backpacked beachgoers will be asked to remove the bag from the premise and will have to pay a fine.

During Memorial Day weekend, May 24-26, Wildwood police responded to “several hundred” curbside warnings related to groups of young people congregating en masse on boardwalks, according to the city commissioners’ ordinance. Police reported that backpacks and other bags carried by teens often contained illegal drugs and alcohol. They received “an irrepressible number of calls” that Saturday evening, overwhelming the 911 system.

In response, Police Chief Joseph Murphy declared a “local disaster emergency” and closed down the boardwalk from midnight to 6 a.m. to clear the area and address remaining emergency calls. While police described the activity as “civil unrest,” residents and business owners who spoke to The Inquirer had a less severe interpretation. The Shore remains “wildly safe,” said Ocean City council member Jody Levchuk, who also owns Jilly’s Arcade in Ocean City.

This summer, and in recent years, at the Jersey Shore, there has been a trend of hundreds to thousands of teens flocking to Shore towns at nighttime to gather, at times leading to underage drinking, vandalism, and in some cases, violence. In response, Jersey Shore towns have enacted nighttime curfews, backpack bans, and earlier beach closures.