Gloucester Township Day Could Change Due To Recent Mayhem

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Despite the recent mayhem, Gloucester Township Day will remain a local tradition. But the annual tradition could get modified.

Hundreds of people — primarily teens — poured into June 1's family-friendly event, getting into fights at Veterans Parks that spilled into a nearby shopping center that night, authorities said. Several New Jersey communities have faced similar issues in recent weeks.

Local officials are examining ways to prevent a repeat of this year's events, including potential time changes for future Gloucester Township Days, says Police Chief David Harkins. The event ran from 12-10 p.m. this year, with chaos breaking out in the final hour.

"It's very clear to me, we should not let them determine how we live and do things," Harkins said of those who instigated the mayhem. "I'm in favor of having a Gloucester Township Day."

Seventeen people were arrested that night — only three of whom were township residents, Harkins said during Monday's Township Council meeting. Some of the charges have been upgraded, and several others have been arrested since.

Police are investigating hundreds of hours of surveillance and body-camera footage from that night, Harkins said. Efforts to identify additional suspects are expected to continue throughout the next several weeks.

Gloucester Township Day — a gathering featuring rides and entertainment that culminates in a nighttime drone light show — is the municipality's biggest event of the year. The tradition, which began in 1985, raises funds to support college scholarships for local high school seniors.

Harkins pushed back against criticism of the township for what unfolded at this year's gathering.

"Some of the comments I see where the township is getting trashed are totally inappropriate, totally uncalled for," he said. "The people that came here that caused that disturbance — it was organized through TikTok, organized through social media. It's very hard to monitor that stuff."

Township Council members praised law enforcement for how they managed the situation that night. Council President Orlando Mercado said the event should continue to welcome non-township residents.

"We've always been an open community," Mercado said. "That's like saying if something happens in Wildwood or Ocean City, we're not allowed to go to Wildwood or Ocean City because we're not from there. But we will get better, and we will figure this out."

Possible Action On Statewide Trend

Throughout recent years, crowds of unruly teens have flooded various events and settings throughout the state, creating chaos. Some have been coordinated through social media.

The issue has flared up several times in recent weeks. During Memorial Day weekend, a teen stabbed and injured a 15-year-old boy during a fight in Ocean City, officials said. Wildwood declared a state of emergency on Memorial Day after a series of incidents that weekend.

Last weekend, Pennsauken cut a summer festival short because of disorderly crowds.

In the wake of Gloucester Township Day, Harkins and Mayor Davin Mayer have met with state lawmakers. The township's representatives in the State Legislature are working on measures to address the issue of disorderly crowds.

"After a series of meetings, in the coming weeks, our office will be introducing legislation that will have the back of law enforcement, ensuring that individuals caught are able to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said a news release from New Jersey's 4th Legislative District officeholders — State Sen. Paul D. Moriarty and Assembly Members Dan Hutchison and Cody D. Miller.

Hutchison is a former Gloucester Township Council member who was elected to the Assembly last year.

During Monday's council meeting, Harkins referred a state bill under development that would enhance penalties for such incidents. But specifics about the forthcoming legislation haven't been disclosed.

The District 4 lawmakers hope to introduce legislation next week, John Saban, their chief of staff, told Patch. But the timeline remains fluid, and Saban declined to disclose further details on the proposals, as they remain under discussion.

After Memorial Day weekend, the president of the State Policemens' Benevolent Association called for stricter consequences for disorderly behavior, according to NBC New York.

"The recent juvenile outbursts are a sign that more needs to be done to allow police to protect our communities," said State PBA President Peter Andreyev. "This past weekend is just more proof that the law is broken. There needs to be real consequences for violent, drunken and dangerous behavior for both juveniles and adults."

With the calls for harsher penalties, it's unclear whether any of the state's recent juvenile-justice reforms will get rolled back. In early 2020, New Jersey passed a law designed to humanize the state's juvenile justice system.

Changes included the elimination of fines for juvenile offenders and limits on where they can be incarcerated. The reforms — signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — were also meant to reduce the juvenile justice system's racial disparities.