As you no doubt are aware, many seashore communities in New Jersey – including Sea Isle City – are dealing with unruly and sometimes destructive groups of young people, who are relieving themselves on public and private property, interfering with vehicle traffic, committing acts of vandalism, and displaying other types of unpleasant behavior.
If you did not have the chance to read my report to City Council earlier this week, please know that Sea Isle City has launched an important initiative to curb these problems.
When I outlined this new initiative on Tuesday morning, I explained that I have instructed Police Chief Tom McQuillen to use all available resources to increase police presence in our city. Also, we have received a commitment from the Cape May County Sheriff’s Department to provide us with additional manpower during the remaining weekends of this summer.
Beyond that, I’m asking all businesses to consider limiting the number of customers they permit inside their establishments at any one time, and I remind all business owners to work with our Police Department to post the appropriate signage that will help enforce their rules.
With regards to the problems that have been occurring at local condominium complexes – specifically in and around their parking garages – we suggest that those properties post “No Trespassing” signs, which will give the police more ability to deal with unwanted people on private property.
Effective immediately, to help address the issue of loitering, I am making all beach entrances part of the beach, which means that our beach paths will close when the beach curfew goes into effect each night at 10 p.m.
Additionally, I respectfully remind everyone in Sea Isle City to phone the police department anytime you see a problem, because this is the only way our officers can respond when there is an issue that requires their attention.
I know that people are sometimes hesitant to phone the police because they don’t want to take our officers away from other matters or they fear retribution, but phoning the police when problems arise is the first thing we all need to do!
I know these concepts may seem small, but after speaking at length with our State Attorney General this week, as well as our County Prosecutor and local police officers, I feel that this initiative will make a positive impact on the unruly groups of youths who are disturbing the peace and acting in irresponsible and unlawful ways.
As I have said many times in the past, there is nothing we can’t accomplish if we work together – and that is exactly what I am suggesting we do now, because Sea Isle City is a wonderful community filled with great people, and we are not going to let this problem overshadow our town’s good will and abundant positivity.
And speaking of positivity, during the past couple of weeks numerous events have occurred that are prime examples of what is “right” in Sea Isle City. In addition to enthusiastic crowds at our Saturday Night Concerts, Family Fun Nights, Beachcomber Tours, Farmers Markets and other weekly events, on July 31 the inaugural Dave Farina Basketball Tournament took place with ten teams of competitors displaying impressive athleticism and good sportsmanship. My thanks go to Dave Farina and his family for supporting this new event, which I look forward to seeing grow in popularity during the years ahead.
Another notable event I want to mention happened, as it typically does, on the first Tuesday of August: National Night Out. After a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19, last week the Sea Isle City Police Department hosted their 2021 National Night Out festivities at Excursion Park, where families enjoyed a variety of games and activities, free snacks, and many giveaways.
During National Night Out, kids also had the chance to climb onboard ambulances and other first response vehicles – and they were even allowed to handle a live fire hose (with the help of our local firefighters, of course).
It was a wonderful night, and my thanks go to Sea Isle City’s police officers, Division of Emergency Medical Services, Volunteer Fire Department, and Beach Patrol, as well as the County’s SWAT Team, Prosecutor’s Office and Sheriff’s K-9 Unit.
Additional thanks go to the local businesses that supported National Night Out, including Freda Real Estate, La Finestra Restaurant, The Ocean Drive Sandbar and Restaurant, Shorebreak Café at the Ludlam, and the Sea Isle City Chamber of Commerce. Thank you all!
Looking ahead, I remind all athletes that on Saturday night the Sea Isle City Beach Patrol will host the 50th Anniversary Captain Bill Gallagher 10-Mile Island Run, which is a very popular race that attracts participants from across the region and across the country. My thanks and congratulations go to Chief Renny Steele and his dedicated team of lifeguards for running this successful annual event, and to our friend Bill Gallagher, for whom the race is named.
In closing, I want to remind everyone that the Sea Isle City Police Department offers an alert system that sends out timely messages related to traffic problems, bad weather and other urgent situations.
Dubbed “Nixle” alerts, you can sign up for free text messages, emails and/or phone calls from the Police Department when pressing situations arise. These important police alerts are offered in addition to our City’s E-Newsletter system, which mainly focuses on municipal news and community events.
To illustrate the value of the police’s Nixle alerts, last weekend a gentlemen with Alzheimer’s disease went missing in Sea Isle City, and our police officers were able to quickly help find him by issuing an alert. The SICPD also has a new Facebook page that I encourage all those who use social media to visit.
Smile … You’re in Sea Isle!
Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio
