ORANGE PARK, Fla. — Starting this Friday, teens hoping to hang out at the Orange Park Mall on weekends will need more than just spending money — they’ll need a guardian, too.
The mall is rolling out a new Youth Supervision Policy in partnership with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, aimed at maintaining a safe, family-friendly environment. Beginning October 17, anyone under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian aged 21 or older on Fridays and Saturdays.
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Each guardian will be allowed to supervise up to four teens at a time.
“So if we have a teenager inside, they don’t have a parent with them, we’re just gonna ask them to leave the property,” said Randy Bowman, Orange Park Mall’s General Manager.
As part of the policy, teens accompanied by a guardian must go through a security checkpoint and wear a colored armband to indicate they’ve been approved to be inside.
“That just lets security know that hey, they’ve gone through the security checkpoint, they’re OK,” Bowman explained. “And that way, when our security team is roaming the inner side of the mall, they’ll be able to go up to teenagers who don’t have a wristband and ask them, ‘Hey, where’s your parents at today?’”
Guardians will be required to stay with the teen at all times while inside the mall. Mall security will handle violations, but law enforcement could become involved if the situation escalates.
“We’ll handle it, and if anyone breaks the law, then we’ll arrest them,” said Ben Ryan, Clay County Sheriff’s Office public information officer.
Parents are already weighing in on the policy.
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“I think that’s gonna be good,” said Geanine Ugent, a local mother. “I can’t wait to see less trouble. To see how it goes, and we’ll go from there.”
The policy follows a series of teen takeover events across Northeast Florida that drew large, unsupervised crowds and raised safety concerns, including incidents at Orange Park Mall itself.
When asked if the new policy was a direct response to those events, Bowman said:
“This is just a blend of things that happened for many years, and so this is just the next level of ensuring that the property continues to being safe.”
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office confirmed its role will be supportive, stepping in only if a situation becomes a criminal issue.
As for how this new rule could affect businesses in the mall that rely on teen customers, Bowman said he doesn’t think it will hurt sales. In fact, he believes the policy will reduce disruptions and create a more secure shopping environment for everyone.
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