Rehoboth chief reports increased rowdiness

Rehoboth Beach is a town that likes to view itself as being as wholesome as “Beach Blanket Bingo.” But this summer has seen an element come to town that is more like something out of “Beerfest.”

Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks said it has been a different crowd down at the beach this year, one that has been rowdier, drunker and louder than in years past.

Banks said the one common denominator has been alcohol, with police coming in contact with people drunk or passed out in public. He said police have stopped people coming out of the bars blowing more than 0.2 on the blood alcohol tests, with one person blowing more than 0.3. The legal limit for drivers in Delaware is .08.

While there has been no rise in assaults, Banks said many incidents have been domestic in nature, with people arguing and cursing loudly. In some cases, that has extended to the way people have responded to police officers, swearing at them and trying to pick fights, Banks said.

“It’s a different class of people, not being respectful to others,” he said.

Banks said DUIs have gone up the last few years; last year there were 113 DUI arrests, and the city is on pace to break that this year.

Police have taken measures to curtail drunken behavior, Banks said, including more DUI checkpoints and plainclothes officers on the beach and Boardwalk. Police have also been working with the state’s Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement to charge establishments serving alcohol to minors.

John Yeomans, director of the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, said over one two-day period, June 8 and June 9, 17 establishments were checked and three were found serving alcohol to minors. The three establishments, Yeomans said, were Starboard and NorthBeach in Dewey Beach, and Pig and Fish in Rehoboth.

Bartenders were charged and administrative charges will be brought forward against the owner/licensee holders, he said.

Rehoboth building inspector Terri Sullivan said the city has issued two noise citations this summer, to Cloud 9 and Cypress. At Cloud 9, three noise complaints were received over Memorial Day weekend. Sullivan said there were no noise complaints for restaurants over the weekend of June 15, but complaints were received about the Bandstand, which hosted three concerts over the weekend.

Mayor Sam Cooper said rowdiness issues have tended to ebb and flow over the years. He hopes the situation will rectify itself.

Banks said people causing trouble are a minority, but “it takes just a few bad apples to make it look bad for everyone.”

“We want people to enjoy themselves and have a good time, but we want them to do it reasonably,” Banks said.