Bad Behavior Among Teens Prompts New Chaperone Policy At Garden State Plaza

Bad behavior comes with consequences for teens at the Westfield Garden State Plaza.

Come April 28, the Paramus mall will be implementing a newly-unveiled "parental guidance policy" in an apparent attempt to keep unsupervised youths from running amok on Friday and Saturday evenings.

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The plan requires everyone 17 and under to be accompanied by an adult 21 or older after 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with officials checking IDs of youths or supervising adults. Anyone who lacks proper identification will be turned away.

That's right. It's a crackdown.

The policy was implemented in the wake of numerous incidents of "disruptive behavior that violates the center's code of conduct by a small minority of younger visitors" the mall said.

Just last month, a brawl between two women, that was videotaped and posted to social media, brought a large police presence to the food court. Last September, a false report of someone with a gun instilled chaos at the GSP, and was traced back to unruly groups of juveniles, Paramus Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said.

Last spring, a pair of food court brawls broke out just weeks apart, one at the end of April and the other in May.

Under the new policy, unsupervised youth will be required to leave the mall by 5 p.m. or immediately be joined by an adult. Adults may be required to show proper ID to police officers and mall security guards, who will be at all shopping center entrances. One adult may accompany up to four kids age 10 and over, according to the new policy.

"Taking this extra step in our security measures will ensure a pleasant and safe environment for our families and every member of our community, as well as our retail partners," the mall said.

The mall is establishing waiting zones for underage visitors not accompanied by a parent. Waiting zones have been are at Entrance 1 by AMC Theatres, Entrance 10 on the west side of the property and Entrance 15 by the food court.

The policy does not apply to the movie theatre. Restaurants and department stores are also free to set their own policies, the mall said. Guests entering the common area of the mall from the movie theater, restaurants, and department stores will be checked to ensure that the policy is being followed.