DENNIS – Selectmen in Dennis have approved a plan to increase patrols at town beaches to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed.
The board voted to authorize just over $100,000 for increased police patrols and to hire six beach monitors to check coolers for alcoholic beverages.
The decision was partly in response to an incident of teenagers having sex at Mayflower Beach last July.
“That was the straw on the camel’s back as far as bringing people to the selectmen’s meeting and to another subsequent meeting by the beach committee to hear their concerns about safety and monitoring the activity on the beaches,” said Sheryl McMahon, a Dennis Selectman.
The cost for the six beach monitors stationed at entrances will cost over $52,000. They also approved more than $48,000 to increase police patrols by officers on ATVs and motorcycles, and at night.
About $50,000 more dollars was approved to improve traffic conditions and safety concerns at beaches.
The Beach Safety and Monitoring Committee, which was formed after residents expressed outrage over the July incident, made nearly $530,000 in recommendations, including adding 20 monitors.
“We increased the fees at our fee hearing this year in anticipation of funding some level of additional services considering what we responded to last year,” McMahon said.
Selectmen made their decision after receiving suggestions in memos to the Town Administrator from Dustin Pineau, the beach director, Police Chief Peter DiMatteo and Thomas Andrade, the town engineer.
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