PLYMOUTH — Plymouth Mayor Crystal Davis has declared a state of emergency and imposed a nighttime curfew for juveniles under 18, citing public safety concerns.

The proclamation, signed Thursday, Oct. 8, prohibits juveniles younger than 18 from being out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., beginning Thursday night and continuing until further notice.

There have been reports of shots fired during the last few days.

Councilmember John Shelton issued a statement on Facebook: “This is a great move until the police can get a handle on the shooting. Another tool for them.”

Thursday’s proclamation applies to the entire Town of Plymouth without specifying a geographic restriction or an expiration date.

“As Mayor of the Town of Plymouth, I, Crystal Davis, hereby declare a State of Emergency for the Town of Plymouth, establishing a temporary curfew for juveniles under the age of eighteen (18) to help ensure public safety,” Davis wrote in the proclamation.

The declaration does not identify a specific incident or explain what prompted the latest emergency action.

Mayor Davis made the right call — here’s her statement issued Thursday:

The safety and well-being of the citizens of Plymouth remain my highest priority. Over the past several days, our community has experienced multiple shootings in different areas throughout the Town. These incidents have understandably raised concerns among residents and require a coordinated response.

After consultation and coordination with the Plymouth Police Department, the Town has implemented a curfew that will remain in effect until further notice. This decision was made with the safety of our residents in mind. The curfew is one of the measures being taken as we work with law enforcement to respond to the recent incidents and help protect our community.

I am asking everyone to take this situation seriously. Parents and guardians, please know where your children are and make sure they understand the curfew. Residents are encouraged to avoid unnecessary activity during curfew hours and to report suspicious or concerning activity directly to law enforcement.

We must remain vigilant, work together, and take every reasonable step to prevent these incidents from escalating. The Town of Plymouth will continue working closely with the Plymouth Police Department and our community partners as we address these concerns and work to keep our residents safe.

Mayor Davis
Town of Plymouth

The new declaration follows a similar action taken June 26, when Davis imposed a temporary curfew in response to an unauthorized gathering promoted on social media as “Downtown Plymouth Takeover Pt. 1.”

The June proclamation prohibited juveniles under 18 from being in the downtown district between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from June 26 through June 29. If you’ll recall, Greenville also enacted a similar curfew. The June emergency declaration was limited to a single weekend, while the new proclamation establishes an indefinite curfew.

At the time, the town, mayor and Plymouth Police Department issued a joint statement announcing that the gathering had been canceled and warning against attempts to organize similar events.

Officials described the proposed gathering as a threat to public safety and urged parents and guardians to discourage their children from participating.

The planned event ultimately did not materialize. Plymouth Police Chief Louis Banks subsequently confirmed that no major incidents occurred.

Moving forward to the present: The proclamation takes effect Thursday, Oct. 8, and remains in force until further notice.

Residents seeking additional information may contact Plymouth Town Hall at (252) 793-9101.