About 15 or so years ago I was talking to a Newport police officer I know over a beer or twelve and we were discussing the party house problem in Newport. He said it was easy to take care of if it became a priority (in other words, orders from the top).
"If you want 'em out," he said, "You hassle them out."
Maybe what we need to do is work in concert with property owners to address their concerns, rather than go head on head with them (which of course isn't always do-able). If it's an antagonistic confrontation, the only ones who ultimately win are - you guessed it - the lawyers on
both sides and the waterfront property owners. Whether it's kids or immigrants or the ignorant, we
still ending up taking the rap and losing spots.
Newport Police - 847-9030
Middletown Police - 846-1104
Portsmouth Police - 683-2422
RI DEM Enforcement - Sgt. Ed Cabral, Marine East Supervisor
24 hour Dispatch 401-222-3070
Pager - 401-544-8953
RI is currently adding 30 enforcement officers to their rosters. Feel free to give 'em a call and give 'em something to do.
And don't try to John Wayne it yourself, man, Chipwood is right - a lot of people carry these days. And I don't think anybody wants to stuff a .45 with hydroshock rounds in their waders to go fishing at nite - I sure as hell don't.
A local guy beat the jesus out of an non-English- speaking type at the State Pier over squid - and then got jumped and very badly beaten by a bunch of them several nites later.
Drop a dime if you see illegal activity of any sort - or a quarter or whatever it is these days - or whip out yer cell
