Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Don't Go to Ocean Beach Fire Island NY

Over the past few months, Ocean Beach Fire Island NY has been working its PR resources overtime in a huge rebranding effort to draw new visitors in 2006 and reap their vacation dollars.

Glancing at the new Ocean Beach Fire Island NY website, one might be led to believe that the beauty and glory is unrivalled, and that it is a perfect destination for families. In fact the Mayor herself writes a nice letter to visitors expounding the "glorious...and tranquil retreat."

The reality of life in Ocean Beach, however, is not so tranquil. Ocean Beach Fire Island, long named the "land of no", have rules against so many aspects of life, it is against the law to walk in town without a shirt, eat ice cream, or a sandwich!

Considering a nice family picnic on the beach? Think again, because it is a huge fine. Ocean Beach Fire Island NY is certainly not a place for families to vacation.

Why? For one reason, the Ocean Beach Police Department have long held the belief that Ocean Beach, Fire Island was their own kingdom to run as they desired. According to one retired NYC detective, "everyone that has ever visited Ocean Beach knows these half-assed wanna be cops think they are God and above the law."

Frequent fines, police brutality - roughing up people unnecessarily, and illegitimately hauling people to the police station have all been frequent complaints. The amount of money generated by these tickets and fines is a boon to the town including the board of trustees and the mayor, and as a result this aggressive police abuse behavior has been overlooked for years.

This police brutality and use of the shield to generate money by fining innocent people reached new heights last summer when, on August28, 2005 the Ocean Beach Fire Island NY Police Department sergeant and other officers punched and kicked a 150-lb NYC business man into unconsciousness.

The victim, who was not under arrest spent 10 days in the hospital with severe blunt force trauma injuries, including a ruptured bladder. Adding insult to injury, 7 days after the incident, the victim was fined and sent two illegitimate misdemanor violations!

So, when considering a vacation spot for this summer season, you should stay on the mainland. Remember, don't go to Ocean Beach Fire Island NY as it is no place for families!

To read in depth about police brutality in Ocean Beach Fire Island, go to http://www.oceanbeachpoliceabuse.com whose material contributed to this blog.

3 Comments:

Blogger Police Abuse Victim said...

Auracy,

Good post. You sound like a reasonable person. While the point of your post is hard to discern, of course there are always two sides to every story.

To your point “2. The cops do occasionally get rough with people there.” It sounds like you are both agreeing with the fact that cops get rough with people in OB, and saying that it is Gilberd’s own fault because he should have known. That is ludicrous.

Do you really think this is OK? What kind of statement are you making? Regardless of where you are – “backwater town” or no - is it OK for officers of the law to send anyone they want to the hospital because they don't like the way the person looks or talks?

Look, we believe in and respect the rule of law. Laws are in place for the benefit of the majority, and if you know the law, then don’t break it. But it is exactly the kind of thinking that you propone in your post that leads to the loss of individual rights and freedom.

We are human; and humans are not perfect. Police officers are human, and they are trained to enforce the law. Police make mistakes too. If Gilberd was intoxicated, he should have been put in a drunk tank. He should not have been put in the hospital for 10 days with severe internal injuries.

Gilberd weighs 150 pounds, did not have any weapon, and is less than 6 feet tall. He was allowed to leave the station house that night. How could it be possible for him to have assaulted three large officers? It makes no sense. And there was certainly no record or complaint filed about him assaulting an officer.

Isn't it possible that Gilberd is part of the 1% of people that aren't (as you put in your post) "drunk, strong, or angry"?

In other words, isn’t it possible he didn’t deserve to get beaten?

By the way, who does?

4/06/2006 3:43 PM  
Blogger Pete said...

Ocean Beach has long been known as "The Land of NO" and that is why many young people, couples, and families are spreading their vacation dollars to other towns on Fire Island such as Fair Harbor, Davis Park, Kismet, and Ocean Bay Park. When people go to the beach in the summer they want to enjoy "fun in the sun." This includes many of the things that are Illegal in Ocean Beach including: Walking down the street drinking a soda, walking down the street eating a slice of pizza, playing frisbee on the beach, playing touch football on the beach, having a sandwich or soda- or even water on a hot day- from your cooler while on the beach.

It is time for Suffolk County to step in and make Ocean Beach follow all the rules of other beaches on Long Island. Tickets for things like playing frisbee, drinking a soda, playing touch football, eating a sandwich and topless sunbathing should be LEGAL in Ocean Beach, just as they are LEGAL on ALL other beaches in New York state.

Until these rules are relaxed, I'll go to any of the other great beaches on Long Island where I can bring my cooler full of soda and sandwiches, a frisbee, a football, my girlfriend can lie out and get tan without the hassles from a town that has turned these rules into a moneymaker for them, and they have turned their wanna-be cops into "professional annoyers!"

5/21/2008 9:39 AM  
Blogger Janice Nap said...

I was just at O.B. yesterday and could not believe the unrealistic rules of the beach. You can't do ANYTHING! NO EATING, DRINKING, nothing.....I will NEVER go there again. How unrealistic is it for your kids to be running around the beach all day and not eat or drink? I guess the town just wants the kids to pass out from dehydration. I hope one day the O.B wakes up to NO VISTITORS!! Bet they change their rules then.
I just want to know what the "no eating and drinking rules is all about. If it is the litter, I think the town has it all wrong. If anyone knows, please let everyone else in on it!

7/30/2008 6:03 PM  

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