CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY — This incident caused considerable tension in the seaside resort town of Cape May. In its wake, Lower Township Police Department’s Chief of Police William Mastriana issued, in part, the following statement:
“On May 16, the Lower Township Police Department responded to the Sunset Beach Gift Shop, located at 502 Sunset Blvd, Cape May Point. This response was based on multiple anonymous tips received that both the business and miniature golf course were operating in violation of the governor’s COVID-19-related executive orders.
Upon arrival, the Lower Township officer located the owner of the business and advised him that he was there based on anonymous tips that the store and golf course were open in violation of the executive orders. The owner said he believed that his business could open because he sold, what he considered to be, essential products, as defined by the executive order.
After receiving this information, the officer walked through the store to see whether the products being sold would meet the definition under the executive order. The officer contacted the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and advised of the facts surrounding the complaint.
In accordance with the governor’s COVID-19 executive order, the officer was advised that the gift shop did not meet the requirements to remain open as a walk-in business, but could remain open for curbside service and the miniature golf course could not remain open.
The officer, in a sympathetic manner, relayed this information to the owner, and the officer politely advised the customers that the store would have to close and that they would have to leave the premises after completing their purchases. The customers on the golf course were advised that the golf course was closing, but they could finish their games.
While the officer was carrying out his duty, the owner and his adult son became very agitated and responded negatively to the officer, including insulting him in public, which lead to a brief exchange of words outside of the business. This, in turn, caused the officer to tell his son that if he did not calm down and stop interfering with his ability to communicate with his department that he would be arrested for disorderly conduct. No summons was issued.
It was clear that the owners of the business were blaming their frustration with being unable to remain fully open on the officer and the situation became very contentious.
During this entire incident, the officer continued to explain to the owner and his son that this was not a decision made by him, he was simply enforcing the executive order, and he understood their frustration.
After review of the body camera the officer was wearing, it was evident that he did everything he could to deescalate the situation while carrying out his sworn duties.
We all realize that these are very trying and difficult times for everyone. This was a very unfortunate situation that nobody wanted to be in, but as police officers, we have a sworn duty to uphold the laws given to us.”
Real World Police attempted to contact the owner of the Sunset Beach Gift Shop to hear his version of events. There was no answer at their main phone number, however we would like to include their perspective and invite anyone affiliated with the Sunset Beach Gift Shop to contact us.
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I’d go to jail over and over again. No government is telling me to shut down. It will all get dismissed in court
With a Jerk of a store owner like that, I wouldn't want to shop in a place like that even if I lived in the US….
Also "Serve your country and this is what you get?" Yes… because serving your country instantly gives you the right to be a jerk to others doesn't it?
I live in Chattanooga TN which is seriously on the Georgia state line so most people who live in this area go back and forth in between Chattanooga and this area called Fort Oglethorpe Georgia the point in saying how close these states were so I could just point out the differences in the covid precautions and procedures each state did so differently. In Chatt. The mayor mask put a mandate for all businesses in schools churches whatever you did you had to have a mask. Now Walmart food City some of the dollar stores did not enforce the mask mandate. I just don't think the workers at those places wanted that controversy and argument with these dam Karen's who wld have showed out until cops got called. Now in GA where mask were not mandated I hardly ever seen anyone in any store have them on. Now some of the employees may have a mask on not all. And this is just in my general area of Georgia covers Fort Oglethorpe Georgia rossville, ringgold, Chickamauga. now in our area there is only 1 decent size mall that has maybe 30 or 40 stores. It is in Chattanooga TN and you have to have a mask to get in the mall. There are security guards at every entrance if you're coming in the main mall. If you try to come in a store entrance someone that works at that store is waiting for you to take your temperature and to give you a mask if you don't have one. And that's the way it is at every single store in the mall. there are workers at the entrance of the stores cause depending on how big the store is they're only letting like 3 to 5 people in unless it's like Belk that has top and bottom that's probably a little bit different but we just don't go in those stores so I don't really know what the rules were but there is definitely only a certain amount of people that they're letting in for every store. I haven't been to the mall sense vaccines started rolling out so the rules maybe a lil different now
Sooo lol ppl are so fucking petty they called 911 on a store for being open I get the stay at home order but if he cooking and selling and has some can items dnt make sense why they can't run in and grab them. I also know this was a while ago when covid was pretty bad.
I fully expected to feel differently about this encounter, but I'm actually happy to see this officer being very reasonable and professional. It is an unfortunate situation for the store owner, but this officer is literally doing his job, and with extraordinary patience compared to most cop videos on YouTube. The two argumentative store employees were very rude.
All the bootlicking conservatives who normally worship police hate to watch videos like this lol.
Fuck these cops. Give me a break. The cops do not have to enforce civil laws like healthcare mandates. These cops a pigs pieces of shit. The constitution will catch up to their asses.
Fuck that guy in the red
People in NJ actually put up with this clown cop…yikes. Lol.
It's just das knowing that this country has no social security system at all it seems.
both of those pieces of trash should be in jail.
crazy he gets shut down but not big stores
1984
Dirty scumbag tyrants
I love how the wife is all like — the cop is just trying to do his job can you not! LOLOLOL She is done with his shit in life LOLOLOL
NJ brown shirts just following orders🖕ðŸ»
Oh get fucking bent. He can be as sympathetic as the Virgin Mary …. as he’s crippling a mans income. He’s still a POS. Could he have been a bigger piece of shit? Sure there’s always room for that.
Rename the common cold & the whole world freaks out.
Don't blame the policeman for doing his job, he doesn't make the laws he enforces them and he was very polite to people in the store allowing them to complete their shopping and even complete their game of minigolf. If you want to blame someone blame the 45th president for allowing the COVID situation to get out of hand like it did.
Oh shit I've been in this store!
PS: Fuck Murphy. Making it so that the police have to close their businesses
Yeah I get that the police can shut down the business for being in violation off the order, but "disorderly conduct" for profanity? That's absurd. They have every right to be upset and vocalize it. Freedom of speech.
This is what makes people hate cops.
Trash Nazi cop. Fuck this shit. I normally back the blue but…