HomeMy WebLinkAboutVBPD Temporary Curfew PresentationOceanfront Violent Crime
Chief Paul Neudigate
April 16, 2026
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Oceanfront Total Violent Crime Victims by Year
2
117
105
94
84 89 92
102
80
62
53
66
58
72
47
66
52
40
58
36 35
22
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
YTD
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Historical Spring Break Issues
March 7, 2022
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April 5, 2025
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The Challenge Goes Beyond Visibility
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A Visible Presence Didn’t Stop the Violence
March 7, 2026
•Visibility is not lacking. Officers were highly visible and
actively patrolling the area before the incident occurred.
•The shooting happened despite officers being in direct view,
underscoring that visibility alone does not deter individuals'
intent on committing violence.
•Unattended Crowds:The Oceanfront has shifted from a
traditional "College Beach Weekend" to a "regional collision
point" for hundreds of unattended minors and young adults
from across the state.
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March 07, 2026, Shooting Incident
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Juvenile Curfew Shows Progress, More Action Is Required
April 11, 2026
•A force of 90 VBPD officers is concentrated within a ten-block radius.
•More than 1,000 individuals were present at the Oceanfront.
•Eight people were shot within twelve seconds.
•Violent confrontations are now escalating from verbal disputes to mass-casualty events in
seconds.
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April 11, 2026, Shooting Incident
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Police Enforcement
•Massive Weapon Seizures:During a single 48-hour "Spring Break Weekend"
in 2025, police seized 28 + firearms.
•Aggressive Enforcement:In that same 2025 weekend, the VBPD made 53
arrests resulting in nearly 200 criminal charges.
•Violent Crime Baseline:While the city saw a record 27% decline in overall
violent crime since 2023, the Oceanfront remains a volatile exception. In
2024, the resort area still recorded 33 violent crimes, including aggravated
assaults and robberies.
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April 25-27, 2025
✓Arrested 50+ individuals on over
200 charges, ranging from 14 to
53 years of age.
✓Seized 28 firearms
✓Three individuals shot
Historic Responses for Week 17
•Robust police staffing/visibility (not a deterrent for violent crime)
✓Off days cancelled
✓Assistance from VBSO & VSP
•Traffic flushing on Atlantic Avenue
•Zero tolerance for fights/assaultive behavior/crimes against persons.
✓ No longer able to enforce jaywalking/marijuana use (civil)
✓Loitering is not a crime
✓Checkpoints unconstitutional with limited exceptions
•Event Programming
•Coordinated messaging w/ City Comms – “Know Before You Go”
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Tracing National Patterns: Context and Response Over Time
•Beach Cities Battling Chaos:Virginia Beach is not alone.
Cities like Miami Beach have already enacted similar
emergency curfews, sobriety checkpoints, and limited entry
points to combat the "public safety problem" of spring break
gunfire and fights.
•Historic "Week 17" Crisis:Historically known as "College
Beach Weekend," this period is now identified by officials as
a misnomer. It has become an unpredictable flashpoint for
daytrippers who bring community and school conflicts to the
boardwalk.
•Inadequate Current Measures:Existing policies, such as the 7
p.m. "imminent threat" curfew for unaccompanied minors,
have not been enough to prevent recent mass shootings
involving young adults over the age of 18.
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WE MUST STOP BEING REACTIVE AND BECOME PROTECTIVE!
•The suggestion of a 9 p.m. zoned curfew is not just a
proposal—it is a necessity to ensure that "12
seconds" doesn't turn into a lifetime of grief.
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For Council’s Consideration
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A 9 p.m. all-ages curfew at the Oceanfront through the end of April 2026:
•Location:Rudee Loop to 31st Street, and from the Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Avenue.
•Time & Days:9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights (starting Friday, April 17,
2026).
•Dates:The weekends of April 17-19 and April 24-26, 2026.
•Concurrent Curfew Status:The existing 7 p.m. weekend emergency curfew
for unaccompanied minors remains in effect for the same location and is set to expire
at the same time at the end of April.