‘Unacceptable’: Cape Cod police cracking down on ‘criminal’ 4th of July behavior with strict rules

Police on Cape Cod issued a stern warning Wednesday for beachgoers looking to celebrate this 4th of July weekend.

Falmouth police posted a statement over social media saying there’s a “zero-tolerance” policy for consuming alcohol or marijuana town beaches this holiday.

The department cites unacceptable criminal activity and behavior last year.

“There will also be a heavy uniformed officer presence at Town beaches at select times to ensure public safety. All bags/coolers are subject to search,” the department wrote.

In Dennis, police issued the same zero-tolerance policy.

Cape Cod town rolls out new beach restrictions for July 4th after years of unrest, violence

Authorities say only those with residential, seasonal or weekly parking stickers will be allowed entrance to town beach parking lots.

Officers in the seaside resort town of Dennis have had to respond to a spike in calls for reports of fighting, assaults, vandalism, binge drinking, drug use, loud music, and other concerning behavior as holiday revelers continue to flock to the area each year, according to Dennis Police Chief John Brady.

“Dennis is home to some of the best beaches on Cape Cod, including Mayflower Beach. Our goal with these measures is to make sure that beachgoers can enjoy Dennis beaches this July 4th holiday safely without worrying about out-of-control crowds, violence, and other dangerous behavior,” Brady said.

There has been a 100 percent increase in beach-related calls for emergency services at Mayflower Beach, Chapin Memorial Beach, and Bayview Beach since 2019, and according to Brady, Dennis officers responded to more than 1,200 calls for service over the past three July 4th holidays.

Brady said there were 459 calls last year alone, including reports of large groups fighting and drinking on the beach, as well as several calls of people urinating and stepping in the protected beach dunes.

Some beach-related incidents police responded to in recent years include:

• Police disrupted a live boxing match that was set to take place on the beach and confiscated boxing gloves in 2023.
• A male victim was violently assaulted in a beach bathhouse and sustained serious head and facial injuries in 2023.
• A woman was struck by a vehicle in the parking lot during a physical altercation in 2023.
• A Dennis police officer was surrounded by a group of disorderly individuals and was assaulted in 2023.
• Officers reported more than 200 to 300 people circled around several others performing “Oklahoma” football tackle drills in 2022.
• A large fire was set in the dunes of a town beach in 2022.
• A firearm was displayed and one victim was pistol-whipped during a large brawl in 2021.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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