Police to Increase Patrols Following Beach Clash Here

Nine youths were arrested – including eight juveniles – at the Revere Beach Bandstand on Sunday night in a confrontation with police that turned into a large melee.

The heat was scorching down on the Beach in an early season near 90-degree day, and the heat from the Sun sparked a bevy of bad behavior on the Beach.

The trouble started around 4:15 p.m. when about 100 kids were hanging out and partying on the bandstand. State Police said they were drinking alcohol and being loud and possibly smoking marijuana. Several folks using the Beach around them began to complain, and Police moved in and started confiscating the alcohol.

The youths, however, were not going to end the night without an exclamation point. They began to get hostile to the Troopers, with a couple of juvenile females jumping on the backs of Troopers as they tried to clear the crowd.

State Police noted that the Troopers and other departments on the scene, including the Revere Police, showed great restraint during the large fight.

When things began to get out of control, Revere Police and the Transit Police responded. When things went further out of control, and out of an abundance of caution, police said they called in police from Lynn, Chelsea and East Boston.

Finally, the Beach was cleared, though Troopers remained to keep peace into the night.

On Monday, Cornelius Jackson, 24, of Dorchester, was arraigned in Chelsea District Court for his role in the matter, which included interfering with police as they tried to arrest a juvenile. Police said when Jackson was arrested, he allegedly resisted and attempted to kick out the windows of a State Police cruiser. When he was booked, he allegedly provided a false name and date of birth. He was released on bail and ordered to stay away from Revere Beach.

The juvenile defendants were expected to be arraigned for their roles in the clash at the Beach this week.

In response to all of that and the coming summer months, the State Police will increase enforcement measures on Revere Beach, starting this Friday, May 15. The increased patrols, by uniformed and plainclothes Troopers alike, are being put in place in anticipation of large crowds that gather at the Beach in warm weather and the potential for those crowds to become unruly as was the case with Sunday’s disturbance. Troopers will work in conjunction with Revere Police, who similarly will put added focus on city neighborhoods around the Beach.

The increased State Police patrols will add several uniformed and undercover troopers, as well as a K-9 unit, to the regular State Police patrols that already cover the beach. These existing patrols — which come from the Revere Beach Barracks, the Motorcycle Unit, and the Troop Community Action Team – will be supplemented by the extra Troopers from early evening to early morning hours. The increased presence will continue on all warm weekend nights up to Memorial Day. From Memorial Day on, the increased patrols will work every weekend night through the summer.

The additional patrols will focus on both serious crimes, but also on quality-of-life issues that cause disturbances for other beachgoers and businesses on the beach. Specifically, the patrols will focus on large disorderly groups, gang activity, illicit drug use, underage alcohol consumption, excessive alcohol use causing disorderly behavior, fighting, and motor vehicle offenses, including impaired and distracted driving and racing.

Additionally, Revere Police, under direction of Chief Joseph Cafarelli, will continue to be vigilant for disorderly groups, gang activity, and other disturbances in the Shirley Avenue, Beach Street, and Revere Street neighborhoods that border the Revere Beach Reservation. State Police will also coordinate efforts and share intelligence with Transit Police, who patrol three Blue Line stations that operate near the beach.

The State Police and Revere Police are committed to ensuring that the Revere Beach Reservation and the areas that surround it are a safe destination for any beachgoers and families who wish to enjoy the area lawfully.

“We will undertake a comprehensive and coordinated effort with our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who wants to use the beach peacefully this summer can do so without fear of unruly groups and criminal activity,” said Major Arthur Sugrue, commander of Troop A of the Massachusetts State Police. “Everyone is welcome to enjoy all our state beaches and reservations, but must do so lawfully and with respect for the rights of others around them.”

The State Police have conducted similar zero-tolerance operations on Revere Beach in past years.

1 comment for “Police to Increase Patrols Following Beach Clash Here

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.