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Archive for the ‘Crime in Ocean Grove’ Category

Modern OG history—2014: Law enforcement as a deterrent in Ocean Grove.

Posted in Crime in Ocean Grove, tagged on May 3, 2025| 1 Comment »

Cars line up on the east side of Delaware Avenue near Main. Paul Goldfinger photo. March 26, 2014 8:00 am

Cars line up on the east side of Delaware Avenue near Main after a one inch snowfall.     Paul Goldfinger photo. March 26, 2014 8:00 am

 

By Paul Goldfinger, covering the crime beat  @Blogfinger

 

Did you ever see someone driving erratically and then notice that they were talking on a cell phone?  Or maybe you have had somebody tailgating you.  So you say, “If the police would enforce the laws on these behaviors, people wouldn’t do it.”   In other words, we intuitively understand the concept of deterrence. But we have so many laws in our society, that the police have to make decisions/choices about enforcement.

Locally, we have complained on occasion about minor laws that are not enforced in OG such as not posting yard sale notices on telephone poles.  We said that failure to consistently enforce the laws created confusion and resentment.

But another argument could be made which says that just the fear of enforcement will deter the bad behavior and that unpredictable enforcement is also effective in deterrence.   However, that is theory, albeit plausible theory.  Wouldn’t it be satisfying to see that theory in action?

Recently there was a crackdown in Ocean Grove where there was an outburst of tickets and towing done to make an impression on those who fail to follow the snow emergency parking rules. We whined on Blogfinger that the citizens should have been given a warning that a blitz was on its way.  We weren’t opposed to enforcing the rules, but we thought that this was handled unfairly.

However this morning, after only one inch of snow, not even enough to make a proper snowball, I saw quite a sight. Everybody in my neighborhood had parked correctly even though they all must have realized that no plows would show up today.

So I was wrong.  The surprise crackdown not only punished the evil-doer parkers, but it created quite an impression as seen by the good parking all over today.  Crime doesn’t pay, and deterrence does work.

Apologies to Deputy Chief James Hunt and his gallant band of deterrence officers.

LOUDON WAINWRIGHT   from Boardwalk Empire, Vol.II   With Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks  (courtesy of Fred Ohleth of OG)  “The Prisoner’s Song.”

“I’ll be carried to the new jail tomorrow,

Leaving my poor darling alone.

With the cold prison bars all around me,

And my head on a pillow of stone.”

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NTPD: A presence in the Grove

Posted in Crime in Ocean Grove, Music from the Broadway stage., Photographic Gallery: Ocean Grove, Photography by Paul Goldfinger, tagged , on April 6, 2023|

 

September 11, 2011. Paul Goldfinger photo ©

September 11, 2011.   Paul Goldfinger photo. Auditorium Park in Ocean Grove, NJ.

 

The Neptune Police is said to have a presence in Ocean Grove 24 hours per day.  You may not see them, but undercover work is part of their tool box.

 

FIORELLO.  The original Broadway cast:

 

 

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Spinning our wheels at Blogfinger: It’s time for more citizen activism.

Posted in Blogfinger opinion, Blogfinger Presents, Blogfinger reports, Crime in Ocean Grove, tagged , on October 2, 2014| 2 Comments »

Asbury Park. October, 2014. Blogfinger photo. ©

Asbury Park. October 2, 2014. Blogfinger photo. ©

Blogfinger has a long history of reporting a variety of worrisome issues in the Grove, but frequently,  no matter what we  (BF and our commenters) say about our concerns,  our opinions seem to fall on deaf ears.

The problem is that “we the people” seem to have power only when our elected officials pay attention to us, and that is how things should work . Unfortunately, on Blogfinger, no elected officials participate in our discussions. Why?  You can guess why, but that is the bottom line. You can go to the Township Committee meetings and say things for 5 minutes, but you won’t make an impact unless you go in force, and that rarely occurs.

Citizen activism is the only answer, and we saw that work when a group of Broadway flood citizen activists pushed the Township. And now a group of Wesley Lake activists are making things happen on that front.   We can’t depend on groups such as the Chamber of Commerce or the Home Groaners Association to run with the ball on things that worry us.

All of us are concerned about crime.  The other day, a police officer in Asbury was stabbed. That town has serious crime problems, and we in OG need to be watchful regarding that situation. We must stick to our “guns” in continuing the locking of the two Wesley Lake bridges.    Soon it will be winter, and our streets will be darker at night, and our population will be smaller.

We have previously called for a resurrection of the Neighborhood Watch in town, but the NTPD, a superb police force, doesn’t seem to be enthused about that method of crime fighting, but we think it has great potential to help protect us and our properties.   Perhaps we need a group of citizen activists to start their own neighborhood watch program and do it right with signs  (see above), foot patrols, effective email/phone lists, and educational programs–including pushing for better lighting and cameras all over town. Such a group can urge the NTPD to help them.     Don’t forget that the OG Citizen Patrol was started by a citizen activist and cooperates with the police.

Here is a link to our Neighborhood Watch post in April, 2012 which discusses the problems NW has in the Grove.    BF on NW

Anybody that starts a citizen activist group can count on publicity @Blogfinger.

Paul Goldfinger, Editor.

 

 

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Blogfinger Bulletin: Break-in on Embury. Email circulated today by neighbors

Posted in Crime in Ocean Grove, tagged , on September 9, 2014| 7 Comments »

September, 2014. Auditorium Square Park in Ocean Grove. Paul Goldfinger photo ©

September, 2014. Auditorium Square Park in Ocean Grove. Paul Goldfinger photo ©

 

September 9, 2014

Neighbors –   (Email forwarded to Blogfinger by Citizen Reporter William Heatley)

Be advised that our neighbor at xx Embury Ave. (# 100 block,  year-round home)  awoke about 3 am to find burglars standing in the  kitchen.  Police captured one, the other is still at large.  The  neighbor believes that  the back door was locked but most likely it wasn’t closed securely.

Nevertheless, it would seem that these intruders were walking about trying doors.

Lock all doors and accessible windows.  Also secure your vehicles.

Larry

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“Thank God you live in Asbury Park because Ocean Grove is getting robbed blind.” **quote today from the AsburyPulp.com

Posted in Blogfinger opinion, Blogfinger Presents, Crime in Ocean Grove, tagged on January 23, 2014| 19 Comments »

IMG_4121 - Version 2

By Paul Goldfinger,  Editor  @Blogfinger

The irony of the headline quote could actually be hilarious except for the fact that our crime wave is a serious matter.  We have been covering this story since postings on  Jan 12 and 13 when we received comments from 26 Ocean Grovers reporting crimes and expressing anger and fear.  Yet none of our elected officials responded on Blogfinger to our readers.  This web site offers a public forum, but the Township and the Police Commissioner will not participate in our discussions.  However, they will say things in an article in today’s  Coaster,* because no one can answer them back at that venue.

One of our citizens made a formal request for crime stats 12 days ago when he contacted Mr. Michael Bascom, the Neptune Township Commissioner of Police, who promised to get back to him.   That has yet to occur.

Today, in the Coaster, we find quotes from those parties and others who would rather talk to a reporter than to the people. Most of their remarks sound like an  attempt to blame Ocean Grovers for the failure to solve this crime wave.

Mr. Bascom said  (from the Coaster) …”residents should be mindful not to provide criminals with opportunities to commit crimes.”

He said, “These are crimes of opportunity with many residences having open windows, unlocked doors, and no lights on. If people just take simple protective measures and report suspicious activities it could make a big dent and possibly help us catch the perpetrators. When they enter a house it is sometimes as easy as opening a door and walking in.”

Anne Horan of the OGHOA  said  “she would like to see the Neighborhood Watches get into action, especially in the winter when the population in Ocean Grove drops, and that she would like residents to be more wary of what is going on around them. People need to make sure they keep their lights on and keep an eye out for what’s going on around them.”

This is pathetic.  The OGHOA has done absolutely nothing about this problem and now the President is asking for help from Neighborhood Watch, another feeble and nearly invisible OG crime-fighting organization.  Maybe the N. Watchers  should become a subcommittee of the OGHOA.

In addition, why didn’t any of these officials say that many of the burglarized homes were locked and that sometimes people were at home when the break-ins occurred?

Randy Bishop, another Committeeman who has been silent, did make a comment to the Coaster.  He said “Residents should heed the warning of police and secure their properties.”     Is this the most enthusiasm he can muster up on behalf of the citizens ?

Police Chief Hunt  said that he has a greater police presence in the Grove. He stated that he is using marked and unmarked vehicles as well as undercover police. You can read his  and others’ full comments via the Coaster link below.*

Coaster link

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