Galloway Township's police chief sent out a warning about proper behavior at local sporting events after fights at back-to-back games.
A total of eight juveniles have been arrested at the last two Absegami High School football games, Chief Donna Higbee told BreakingAC.
There will be increased police presence and security around the school as a result, she said.
"This message should be for all guardians who allow their children to attend high school sporting events unsupervised," Higbee wrote in a Facebook post Wednesday. "Please have a discussion with your children about proper behavior and also safety and where to go and what to do if they find themselves in the vicinity of a large crowd or a fight."
The Police Department and Greater Egg Harbor Regional School District are working together to rectify the issues, she said.
The first issue was when Absegami hosted Cedar Creek on Sept. 17. A major fight broke out as Absegami lost 55-0.
The next week, Absegami hosted Egg Harbor Township High School. The Braves fared a little better on the field, with a 21-13 loss. But again there were arrests.
Not all of the students arrested were from Absegami, Higbee clarified.
In one instance, a police officer was hospitalized with a minor injury, she said.
"Students should not attempt to get involved once police arrive and should stay away from an altercation and allow the police to do their job," she said. "This is for everyone’s safety."
Higbee said disorderly behavior at school events will not be tolerated.
"The school events are for competitive scholastic games, a time and place to support your school and show team spirit and community camaraderie," she said. "The physical fights and aggressive behavior that occurred in recent weeks will be met with swift and certain discipline by school officials and the police.
"We are here to provide a safe environment for everyone including attendees, staff and the players," she added. "Our relationship with the school district is steadfast and we work hand-in-hand to ensure safety and a great time for all."
Anyone who has information about tumultuous activity or with safety concerns is asked to call Galloway police at 609-652-3705. Information may also be reported anonymously via Twitter, Instagram or Facebook by following the links at www.gtpd.org.
