This Fourth of July proved easy crusing at seashores in Dennis and Falmouth, two Cape Cod cities plagued with unruly crowds alongside the coast in years previous.
That modified not less than this yr, with Dennis Police Chief John Brady and City Administrator Elizabeth Sullivan calling Thursday’s vacation a “tremendous success.” Falmouth Police Chief Jeffrey A. Lourie, in a social media put up, additionally described a largely peaceable environment at seashores in his city.
The constructive opinions come after Dennis and Falmouth each instituted measures to curb the “unsafe and dangerous conduct” that resulted in an enormous improve in requires emergency companies, and the seashores left an “utter disaster with litter, alcohol containers and broken glass.”
With no “major incidents” at Dennis’ three seashores, Mayflower, Chapin Memorial, and Bayview, native police made no arrests in the course of the vacation, Brady and Sullivan mentioned in a press release.
They attributed the constructive, cheerful day to the restrictions – no every day parking passes bought or accepted, a parking ban in close by neighborhoods and at adjoining companies, and 0 tolerance for alcohol, medicine, and overly loud music.
During the last three years, Dennis Police reported a dramatic spike in unsafe and harmful conduct, preventing, assaults, vandalism, binge ingesting, drug use, loud music, and different regarding habits.
Partying beachgoers at Mayflower trashed the seaside final Fourth of July, as police made numerous arrests and seized massive quantities of alcohol.
“While they were all full yesterday, the atmosphere and spirit at the beaches were markedly different than in years past,” Brady and Sullivan wrote. “We saw a refreshing return to the family-friendly and welcoming atmosphere Dennis beaches are known for.”
Final yr in Falmouth, Lourie blasted “large groups of teenagers” who gathered at city seashores and for performing “disrespectful and rude,” together with some “using profanity and taunting officers.”
Different unruly habits included “widespread evidence of underage drinking,” fireworks being shot off within the air and at one another “in the middle of the chaos,” and a resident of North Falmouth reporting a can of beer thrown at a entrance window, smashing it and practically lacking an individual within the dwelling.
Falmouth Police arrested some on expenses of minors in possession of alcohol, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, disturbing the peace, and failing to establish.
“Public Service Announcement: Due to last year’s unacceptable criminal activity/behavior there are plain clothes officers out at the beaches all week,” Falmouth Police posted in a Fb put up on Tuesday. “There will also be a heavy uniformed officer presence at Town beaches at select times to ensure public safety. All bags/coolers are subject to search. There will be a ZERO tolerance policy for consuming alcohol/marijuana in public and any disorderly conduct.”
The measures made a distinction, Lourie wrote in a put up on Friday.
“I am pleased to inform you that there was NO property damage reported, littering or out of control issues on our beaches or neighborhoods,” he wrote. “We did make a handful of arrests yesterday but there were no major issues like dealt with last year.”
