VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — While violent crime at the Oceanfront resort continues to trend down compared to the start of the decade, the city’s police chief warns that continued issues related to crowds and guns will likely only be solved by implementing new strategies.

In a presentation to City Council Tuesday afternoon, Chief Paul Neudigate explained that police officers and the threat of incarceration no longer appear to be deterrents for those willing to commit crimes.

He showed surveillance camera video of the moment a teen allegedly pulled a gun and fired into crowd at 17th Street Park back on April 5, only to then point out 10 uniformed officers were in the crowd when the shots went off.

Instead, Neudigate is asking for City Council to consider several options that might deter large crowds from gathering in the first place, including implementing curfews, closing off parking lots and increasing parking rates.

Tourism is referred to as the third leg of the Hampton Roads economy, and no city contributes to that third leg more than the city of Virginia Beach. The coastal destination welcomed 14.1 million visitors in 2023, according to the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, and resulted in a  $3.8 billion in economic impact.

It’s one of the reason’s Oceanfront business owners and elected leaders alike are outspoken in their desire for crime reduction in the 42-block resort area.

Since 2020, Neudigate said “tremendous progress” has been made in terms of violent crime within the resort city.

Comparing 2020 to 2024, violent crime reports have been essentially cut in half, down 44% compared to the four-year average, according to Neudigate.

Looking specifically at shootings, there were 16 in 2020, including one homicide. In 2024 there were two, both non-life-threatening.

Neudigate said that is a testament to the work of officers and technology partnering together for results.

“We owe them a round of applause and appreciation,” Neudigate said.

However, he acknowledged numbers don’t tell the whole story.

“[The data] doesn’t address what the challenges are and what the perception is, and we know that coming into, usually March and April, we have challenges,” Neudigate said. “I think the challenges that we have during that time period, unfortunately, casts aspersions over our resort area for the entire year.”

Less than halfway through 2025, there have been three shootings in the Oceanfront area. All have left victims with non-life-threatening injuries.

However, the chief said it is what hasn’t happened, but could have, that concerns him.

“The sheer number of firearms that are being brought to our Oceanfront is incredibly alarming,” Neudigate said. “And it’s not just the firearms. It’s the history associated with them. It’s the individuals that are bringing them to our Oceanfront.”

The fourth weekend in April, VBPD announced it had seized 28 firearms in the resort area. Using the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network, one of the guns was traced to a homicide in Richmond.

In another video from 2022, a video showed young teens that were stampeding after firecrackers were set off in a crowd.

“I would offer … that we are incredibly lucky that we did not have anyone seriously injured or killed,” Neudigate said. “When we have conditions like this, it is probably going to be a matter of time that when we have several hundred youth that decide to run down in a congested area like this, we’re going to end up with injuries.”

Neudigate said its hard to predict exactly when the crowds will appear.

“Sometimes, it is that first warm Friday night that we have no advance notice that we’re going to have a large crowd,” Neudigate said.

The chief then explained how other East Coast resort towns have attempted to tackle similar issues.

In Ocean City, Md., special event zones have been established to manage traffic and curb unsafe driving. In Daytona Beach, Fla., cease-and-desist letters are being sent to organizers of unpermitted events.

However, it was Miami, where the chief was praised for having a “handle” on the spring break crowds.

To discourage “street parties” in Miami’s South Beach, officials implemented $100 flat fee for parking, doubled towing rates for nonresidents and closed some parking garages altogether. They also instituted a midnight curfew.

“I think these are the implementation measures that at least have to be discussed,” Neudigate said. “We will do everything we can from the law enforcement perspective, but without additional tools or additional strategies, we’re going to get the same outcome.”

However, Virginia is not Florida.

Virginia doesn’t have special event zones allowing police to double fines and other penalties, such as occupancy levels. It’s also unclear if municipalities can recover anything from a promoter or organizer of a special event who didn’t go through proper channels to get a permit.

While police chiefs in Virginia were recently given the power to enact curfews, it can only be done to qualm civil unrest.

As a Dillon Rule state, local governments are only able to do what the Commonwealth has given them permission to do.

Thus, after the presentation, Neudigate went into closed session with City Council to talk about “legal ramifications” associated with exploring the new enforcement tools.

“Eventually, if council wants to move to a certain direction, we will have to come out publicly and state that and and present to the public our stance in the future,” said Virginia Beach City Manager Patrick Duhaney.

However, feedback was quick from some council members that part of the plan

“I’ve heard some negatives against a curfew because that hurts businesses that are down at the Oceanfront trying to make a living selling their goods and services,” Councilman Worth Remick, who represents much of the Oceanfront, said. “So I would have to push back on curfew.”

He also questioned why VBPD posts pictures of all the guns they seize.

“I’d like to see us message that better,” Remick said. “But I do think that we need to be known.”

Neudigate said posting photos of the guns officers have seized is viewed as a deterrent.

“We want folks to know that if they bring firearms to our Oceanfront and they are not carrying them with 100% compliance of the law, there is a good opportunity that you’re going to be interdicted,” Neudigate said. “We’re going to seize the firearm and there’s going to be criminal penalties.”

John Zirkle, president of the Virginia Beach Hotel Association, echos Remick’s concern for a curfew. He said he would also rather see VBPD enforce the laws on the books now as opposed to following Miami’s lead.

“You know, we’re in the hospitality business,” Zirkle said. “We welcome people to our city. We want visitors to come and have a great time and enjoy all the amenities of Virginia Beach. When you have too many rules and too many ‘no’s’, yes, you do worry that your visitors are going to start saying, ‘Well, gosh, [I’m going] somewhere else.”

He said any new tools used in crime fighting must be done with balance in mind.

“You can’t pick on younger people and say, ‘We don’t want younger people here,’ because we do,” Zirkle said. “We want everybody to feel welcome here. Now, if you’re coming here with guns and they cause problems, no, we don’t want you here. And I think we need to work on how that message will be relayed, because that message could be relayed to sound exclusionary.”

Mayor Bobby Dyer is hoping he can get regional support for measures to make the Oceanfront safer for everyone.

“We’re going to start the conversations,” Dyer said, “because summer is upon us and we want people coming to the beach. We want everybody coming to the beach. We’ve got to make sure it’s a safe beach.”