New restrictions take effect Thursday night and remain in place until further notice
PLYMOUTH — Plymouth Mayor Crystal Davis has declared a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew for juveniles under 18, marking the second time in less than four months that town officials have enacted emergency restrictions aimed at protecting public safety.
The proclamation, signed Thursday, Oct. 8, prohibits juveniles younger than 18 from being out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. The curfew takes effect Thursday night and will remain in place until further notice.
Unlike a similar emergency declaration issued in June, which restricted juvenile activity in downtown Plymouth for one weekend, the latest proclamation applies to the Town of Plymouth without identifying a specific geographic limitation or expiration date.
“As Mayor of the Town of Plymouth, I, Crystal Davis, hereby declare a State of Emergency for the Town of Plymouth, establishing a temporary curfew for juveniles under the age of eighteen (18) to help ensure public safety,” Davis stated in the signed proclamation.
The document does not explain what prompted the emergency declaration or identify any specific incidents that led to the decision.
The action comes just over three months after Plymouth officials imposed a temporary downtown curfew in response to a gathering promoted on social media as “Downtown Plymouth Takeover Pt. 1.”
As previously reported by the Roanoke Beacon, Davis signed a state of emergency proclamation June 26 restricting juveniles under 18 from being in the downtown district between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. through June 29.
At the time, the town, mayor and Plymouth Police Department issued a joint statement announcing that the proposed gathering had been canceled and warning that attempts to organize or participate in similar unauthorized events would not be tolerated.
“These pop up events are unsafe, illegal, and disruptive to our community,” officials said in the June statement. “We are urging teenagers to stay away from this activity, and we are calling on parents and guardians to speak with their children and make sure they do not take part.”
The town’s response followed concerns about social media-organized gatherings involving large groups of teenagers in public spaces, commonly referred to as “teen takeovers.”
Similar concerns prompted emergency curfews and additional police patrols in other eastern North Carolina communities, including Greenville, during the same weekend.
The anticipated gathering in Plymouth did not materialize, and no major incidents were reported. Plymouth Police Chief Louis Banks subsequently defended the precautionary measures, telling Public Radio East that he preferred explaining why officials took precautions rather than why they failed to act.
Thursday’s proclamation does not indicate whether the latest restrictions are connected to another planned gathering or stem from different public safety concerns.
The declaration also leaves several questions unanswered for Plymouth families, including whether exceptions will be allowed for juveniles traveling to and from work, attending school activities, or accompanied by a parent or guardian.
No specific penalties or enforcement procedures are outlined in the proclamation.
While the June curfew was limited to a single weekend and confined to downtown Plymouth, the new declaration contains no scheduled expiration date, meaning the restrictions could remain in place beyond the weekend unless modified or rescinded by town officials.
The curfew applies to juveniles under 18, not all Plymouth residents. The proclamation does not establish a general curfew for adults or indicate that the restrictions extend to areas of Washington County outside Plymouth’s municipal limits.
Residents seeking clarification about the curfew or its enforcement may contact Plymouth Town Hall at (252) 793-9101.