Camden poised to vote on business curfew

Camden City Council could vote Tuesday on a proposed business curfew that would shut down restaurants, stores, and fast-food spots from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. during the week and midnight to 6 a.m. on weekends.

Camden Mayor Dana Redd, who said the curfew would be another tool to make the city safer, said residents have spoken out in favor of the curfew for many years.

“We had to work through some of the technicalities of some of the legal language. I’m confidant that the law department along with the (police) chief and others that are part of the administration working with the city council representatives have a final version that will be able to move forward,” she said. “So we’re really anticipating its final passage and adoption.”

Longtime Camden resident Thomas Rapacki Jr. said establishments that stay open all hours of the night invite robberies–and outsiders who come looking for prostitution and drugs. He said he does not agree with people who complain about the curfew.

“They are people that don’t prepare for tomorrow, or the people that say, ‘Well, I want a cheese steak at 3 o’clock in the morning,” she said. “Now what type of people are they that’s up 3 o’clock in the morning?”