Wildwood mayor says civil unrest threat prompted shutdown of famous boardwalk

WILDWOOD, NJ—In response to an overwhelming number of service calls during the Memorial Day weekend, the City of Wildwood Police Department, along with city officials, managed a significant uptick in disturbances primarily caused by large groups of young adults and juveniles.

Mayor Ernie Troiano, Jr., Commissioner of Public Safety Steve Mikulski, and Commissioner Krista McConnell detailed the sequence of events starting from Saturday evening, May 25, stating that things were starting to get out of hand in the city.

On Saturday, the police department began receiving numerous calls, leading to the issuance of mutual aid requests across Cape May County.

At certain points, the incidents were so high that the police could not respond to some calls. By Sunday, May 26, local authorities, advised by Chief Joseph Murphy and the Emergency Management Coordinator, declared emergent conditions that threatened public health and safety. A local disaster emergency was subsequently declared early Monday, May 27, as conditions worsened despite efforts to control the situation.

Mayor Ernie Troiano, Jr. stated, “Wildwood will not tolerate unruly, undisciplined, unparented children nor will we stand by while the laws of the state tie the hands of the police. We wholeheartedly support the City of Wildwood Police Department in protecting this community from these nuisance crowds on our boardwalk and in the city.”

The declaration included a temporary closure of the city’s boardwalk and was aimed at quelling the unrest and maintaining safety. This state of emergency was effective in handling the incidents and was lifted once the situation was under control. City officials expressed their gratitude for the cooperation from the public and the assistance from various law enforcement agencies.

Mayor Troiano emphasized the city’s zero-tolerance policy towards disruptive behavior, particularly from young individuals without proper supervision. Commissioner Mikulski noted that preparations had been made in anticipation of Sunday night’s events, which facilitated timely and decisive action.

Commissioner of Public Safety Steve Mikulski continued, “We had measures in place ahead of the Sunday night crowds so that the police department could take these preemptive actions should the need arise. Unfortunately, the crowds necessitated the state of emergency to which our police department and other responding departments worked together to maintain order in the city.”

Commissioner McConnell acknowledged the ongoing support for the police force in managing such disturbances and mentioned collaboration with state officials, including Senator Testa, to address these issues comprehensively.

Shore News Network Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.