Crime comes in like the tide at the Jersey Shore. When the crowds of summer arrive, populations of sleepy resort towns swell ten-fold or more—bringing an influx not only of traffic and noise, but sometimes drugs, alcohol-fueled fights, shoplifting and petty theft.
Thoughts by Experts and Reasons
Wayne Fisher who is a professor of criminal justice at Rutgers University and former chairman of the New Jersey Police Training Commission thinks that the concentration of people in small places is the reason for this: "When you have large concentrations of people in a relatively small place, it's a prescription for circumstances conducive for breaking the law,"
The problem, say officials in some shore communities, is too many of the visitors who come often leave their better judgment at home. Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden, who runs his county's police academy, called the seasonal hires a necessity for most departments.
Seasonal Cops Are Solution
"We have 22 coastal towns. The population in that area is about 440,000 residents and on peak summer days, it can climb to over 900,000," he said. "They all hire specials."
The seasonal cops include Special I officers, who receive eight days of training and typically handle parking enforcement and traffic, and are assigned to foot patrols. Golden said Special II officers, who carry firearms, get the same 16-week training at the Monmouth County Police Academy as basic police recruits, but are only allowed to work part time.
In preparation for the summer, the academy recently graduated a Special I class of 100 officers, along with another 64 Special II officers three weeks ago. Some are advanced college students. Others are those who see it as a gateway to careers in law enforcement.
Type of Crime
Much of what police in the shore communities see is not especially serious crime, and may not even be reportable—such as noise complaints, open container citations, or rowdy behavior. But it puts added stress on small departments unable to deal with all the traffic and everything else that comes with the crowds. And by now, most shore communities about to turn into party towns for the summer have already hired hundreds of seasonal officers to augment their police departments.
Thoughts
Yes, the small crimes are more frequent in Jersey Shore and Seaside Heights, but is this something we should panic for? It seems quite understandable because it is summer time for the streets and beaches to be more frequent. However, if you think that the police is not acting in the best possible manner and that you think that this can be solved in a better way, comment bellow with your thoughts or maybe a situation of yours with some type of crime.
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