MARGATE – Police and firefighters in Margate had their hands full over the Memorial Day weekend. They rescued several individuals involved in two serious accidents and police responded to 424 calls for service.
According to Police Chief Matthew Hankinson, in addition to the expected noise and ordinance violations, police broke up four fights, responded to 35 juvenile complaints, issued 15 parental responsibility summonses, conducted 71 motor vehicle stops and investigated nine accidents, including two that involved overturned vehicles.
“As experienced by every shore community up and down the coast, we saw historic crowds in town and at our restaurants and bars,” Hankinson said. “We saw large groups of juveniles all over town and summonses were issued to parents for parental responsibility after 10 p.m.”
Firefighters at the Margate Fire Department responded at 8:30 p.m. Sunday to the second rollover accident of the weekend involving several vehicles at the intersection of Jasper and Atlantic Avenue. Two people were injured and transported to area hospitals.
Margate City Fire DepartmentAt 3:43 a.m. it was a one-vehicle accident on the 400-block of Douglas Avenue that resulted in the vehicle flipping over on its side. Margate Fire Department Platoon 2 extricated the driver and treated the injured, prompting first responders to issue warnings to motorists to be careful during the busy holiday weekend.
Hankinson said summertime brings an increase in accidents due to the influx of cars and visitors to the shore town.
“Many times, visitors are not familiar with the area and become distracted either looking at a map or utilizing their cell phones. This was a determining factor in many of the accidents over Memorial Day weekend,” he said.
He said to reduce injuries, the city has reduced the speed limit throughout town to 25 miles per hour, and to limit distracted driving, the department has participated in various Traffic Highway Safety campaigns, including "You Text, You Drive, You Pay" and "Click It or Ticket,” which encourages the use of seat belts.
The Police Department also maintains an active presence on its Facebook page, advising residents and visitors about the various rules and regulations that are designed to ensure public safety and improve the quality of life for residents and visitors.
“When a juvenile is detained, they become the responsibility of the Police Department until a parent arrives to take custody of their child. This ties up officers and limits the number of officers to respond to other calls for service,” Hankinson said.
Other complaints that distract police and firefighters from their mission to save lives and keep people safe are those involving bicycle safety, dog walking and other minor infractions that can disrupt the normal course of police work.
Residents and visitors are advised to familiarize themselves with local ordinances to ensure they have an enjoyable time at the shore.
To learn more, see the Margate City Police Department Facebook page or visit margate-nj.com.
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