Summer chaos at the shore prompts police summit
Led by Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, law enforcement officials discussed remedies against summer lawlessness.
Point Pleasant Beach - While families across the state flock to the shore to enjoy the summer, police chiefs from shore towns have become the last — sometimes only — line of defense against lawlessness. A summit spearheaded by Assemblyman Paul Kanitra (R-10th) on Tuesday sought to discuss legislative remedies to provide more support for shore towns.
The summit, held with with police chiefs from twelve municipalities represented by Kanitra at his district office, discussed concerns raised over bail reform, rising car thefts and home invasions, and the inability of police to confront teens suspected of underage drinking and drug use. A former mayor of Point Pleasant Beach, Kanitra utilized his unique perspective to discuss pending legislation that addresses some of those issues, while brainstorming ways to combat these scourges in the meantime.
“The twenty-plus miles of coastline in my district is one of the biggest tourism destinations in the entire state. The Chiefs from these towns have seen it all,” Kanitra told CJN.
“Unfortunately, over the past few years that means rising gang activity with car and retail theft rings, pop up parties leaving behind wakes of destruction and juveniles with zero respect for authority that feel they can get away with anything.”
While the excessive heat and storms that hit over the long Independence Day weekend likely staved off potential trouble, but unruly crowds, pop-up parties and general pandemonium that erupted over Memorial Day weekend remain fresh in the chiefs’ minds. Seaside Heights police in particular were overwhelmed and responded to three separate calls about fired shots. Summer pop-up parties remain a threat every summer for shore town residents and the police that protect them.
Kanitra cited Trenton’s “total inability to back the blue in any meaningful way” as a major hinderance to providing support for police. He continued to slam political efforts that undermine support for law enforcement:
“This has lead to a rapidly shrinking pool of applicants, less seasonal officers available and less safe streets as a result. Yesterday’s summit focused on common sense policies our office will be introducing to highlight the problems and hopefully turn some of it around.”
Despite a Democrat supermajority, the freshman republican is cosponsoring legislation that would reinstate penalties for underage possession and consumption of alcohol and cannabis (A833). He’s also drafted bills that would establish increased penalties for smoking marijuana products on public beaches (A3490) and another that broadens the definition of rioting and disorderly conduct (A3489).
All three bills have been assigned to the Assembly Judiciary Committee.
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