Island Beach State Park Police

[Fishin Dude]

Well. I went out for a night of surf fishing, high tide due around 1 am. Set up, lite campfire, caught 2 dogs so far, and along comes Barney Fife. Say's I need to take the small tent down, as they are against park rules. Seems that you can have a large RV or a slide in camper unit on your truck, but average Joe can not set up a tent for his wife to crash in while he fishes. I'm here fishing for crying out loud. Ever been there in the daytime? People drive on the beach just to party at the beach. Tents,Beer,etc. Not fishing. No rules enforced. Don't they call it a Mobile Sportfishing Permit? "Must Be Actively Engaged in Fishing"  An hour later, Here's Barn again. This time he says he smells alcohol??? I explain to him I'm fishing,NOT Drinking. He proceeds to search the cooler,& fishing area, guess what? NO ALCOHOL! By this time my wife was tired of being hassled and wanted to leave. I spoke to a very close friend who happens to be a local attorney, who states we could challenge the validity of the rule/file a discrimination suit, but it would be better if I received a summons for the offense first. I wanted to make a call to a family friend to have Barney transferred to a state park the farthest possible distance from his house, but my wife does not like that idea. I've volunteered at this park many times for the annual beach clean up, donated money to help provide handicap access, helped stranded trucks(mostly people who did not even have fishing equipment with them, let alone the required  vehicle equipment), always leave the beach cleaner then when I arrive, and I go there to fish. I'm a fisherman! Seems I happen to remember an episode where Andy explains to Barney that sometimes you have to bend the rules a little and not make criminals out of honest, hard working people. <'((((><

[mboy]

PM me his name. I am in VERY tight with the head of his Union.

[Hotrod]

What A friggin Shame..  Bet they don't make a hat size to fit his head..

[0ffShoreRy@n]

 

[seanr8w]

It is a shame, I guess they are afraid you would be getting your moneys worth if they let you camp there! 

[wb]

Yep sounds like my experiences down there, except my coolers were not usually alcohol-free. 
Think it's against the law to sleep on the beach after dark regardless of in tent, RV, beach blanket- you must be actively engaged in fishin' at all times or be off the beach.

[IrishAyes]

Several years ago I was told they enforce the tent thing so they don't get the unruly crowd. They figure if they let one do it, they would have to let everyone do it.

They are concerned that an undesirable crowd would be camping on the beach every night using the beach for a summer home.

That being said, they can 'look the other way' when they drive by in cases such as yours. 

[Bucktail]

Several years ago I was told they enforce the tent thing so they don't get the unruly crowd. They figure if they let one do it, they would have to let everyone do it.

They are concerned that an undesirable crowd would be camping on the beach every night using the beach for a summer home.

That being said, they can 'look the other way' when they drive by in cases such as yours. 

The problem with "looking the other way" is that we live in a very litigious society.  If they do if for one they have to do it for all.  If they don't then they can be charged with discrimination. 

As far as searching your cooler, is that legal without your consent?  I imagine that it's something you passively agree to when you enter the park.  Probably in the rules somewhere.  But it doesn't sound right to me. 

-Bob

[Luna Sea 5]

sucks down there this time of year.

[IrishAyes]

Bob, as far as 'looking the other way'. You can not be charged with something you did not see. 
"Hey, when I went by there, I didn't see a tent. I must have been focused on something else and just didn't look that way. Or they must have put it up after I went by" 

As for searching the cooler, or any of your other possessions. Unless it is specifically stated in the permit application/permit itself or whatever (and that could even be debatable in that they can not MAKE you give up your freedom), a search is not allowed unless the officer has probably cause to believe a crime is being committed (possession of alcoholic beverage in park), will be committed, etc.  The officer can ask for consent to look in the cooler, etc and you are under no obligation to let him. MOST people allow it.

I have had people give concent to search when they were in distribution quantities of drugs. Go figure. Of course, when we did it, we would have them sign a consent form BEFORE the search began and they have to be present while the search is going on because they have the right to STOP the consent at any time.

[Reel Time]

 fishing dude, i am with ya. drive down that beach during the day and look at all the vehicles on the beach with a 1940's greatgrandpop pole with out any string on it sitting in a rod holder lounging around doing crap, and good'ole barney wont even bat an eye that way,,, hell they just want the money, plain and simple. if they busted those peoples balls all year long they wont come back, you on the other hand will come back.

 i havent had my bbp for 2years now, and not sure if i want it again just because of the I disagree double standards. and when i did go, 90% of the time i only went at night when all the a$$holes would be gone.

[Fishin Dude]

Thanks everyone for your support. The search issue is something else, but I had NOTHING to hide, so why not consent to a search. The issue is discrimination based on the vehicle you have on the beach (RV, Slide-in, or just a 4x4 truck),which comes down to what you can afford. So that makes the park a campground for people who CAN afford an RV, not the average Joe, who is lucky to afford bait and gas for a night of fishing. It's a double standard on the "camping" thing. I guess he wants to become a detective so everyone can call him by his first name, DICK! <'((((><

[wb]

Rest on your laurels with the thought that you are better than him, he was denied despite his best ballbu$ting, yes there is a double standard but you bucked it and won. Don't let the bastardos wear you down. 

[seanr8w]

FIGHT THE POWER

[Lemywinkss]

Hey me and 3 of my friends were thinking about going up fishing just for a 3 day trip from monday to wendsday this week and i have looked into the whole camping/sleeping on the beach deal i just have a few questions.

1. What did you do when he told you to take the tent down? did you just sleep in your car?

2. What do you think the chances are that the will catch us if we do camp?

3. As long as you are "actively fishing" you are allowed to stay there over night so if we just put our poles in some holders real late at night and take a little nap we should be ok, right?

[IrishAyes]

I may be wrong as it has been many years since I had a permit but, permit holders were allowed to park in the lot just outside of the park entrance and sleep there. That may have changed over the past several years.

[PeggyLee]

 you can always drop a letter to his commanding officer explaining how nice,professional,and pleasant he acted; that he was so informative and stopped crime in the process.Do it while you remember how he made you and your wife feel.

[NJetty]

Hey me and 3 of my friends were thinking about going up fishing just for a 3 day trip from monday to wendsday this week and i have looked into the whole camping/sleeping on the beach deal i just have a few questions.

1. What did you do when he told you to take the tent down? did you just sleep in your car?

2. What do you think the chances are that the will catch us if we do camp?

3. As long as you are "actively fishing" you are allowed to stay there over night so if we just put our poles in some holders real late at night and take a little nap we should be ok, right?

1. Tents have been against the rules for quite sometime now.

2. The chances are great.

3. You have to be actively fishing between 12am & 4 am...get caught taking a "nap" during that time & you'll be asked to leave.

Yes, people with mobile sportfishing permits that do not actively fish between 12 & 4 can sleep in the bathing beach parking lot...you need to be out by 7 am and the NJSPP WILL make sure that you are.

I liked it alot better when they just had Rangers and not some wantabe Troopers...all though I do get a chuckle when I see them wearing their bullet-proof vests in the dog-days of July & August.