WESTERLY A series of complaints has led to officers resuming alcohol enforcement along the town's beaches, and in just 10 days the effort has led to the issuance of 141 tickets for various violations.

Westerly Police Chief Shawn Lacey said that from July 18 through Monday, the department had cited a total of 103 individuals for consuming an alcoholic beverage in public and issued 36 tickets to underage persons in possession of alcohol. One person was cited with possession of marijuana and another faces a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge.

The department had already issued another 12 alcohol-based violations as of 2 p.m. Tuesday, but details of those summonses were not available as officers were still in the middle of enforcement.

"It is by far the most I've seen in such a short period," Lacey said Tuesday. "I know for many, that already sounds like a lot, but the number of violators is likely even higher. For every summons, officers must do approximately 30 minutes of paperwork. They've been busy."

The Westerly Police Department has traditionally conducted early-season enforcement involving plainclothes officers in an effort to set a tone for the season, Lacey explained. Due to the COVID-19 restrictions and other unusual circumstances, the department did not conduct their normal early-season enforcement in 2020.

Over the first few weeks of July, however, he said the agency began to receive "numerous complaints" from residents, business owners and beachgoers regarding unruly behavior, drinking and smoking of marijuana. The complaints continued to pour in after the July 4 holiday, which ultimately led to police organizing the beach patrols.

Unlike in years past, officers are not in plain clothes. Lacey said due to national tensions and concerns regarding public perception that such operations are too covert, he ordered officers to instead utilize their bicycle-officer uniforms, which include shorts and a police-labeled golf shirt, while on the beach.

"They aren't the traditional black uniforms, but they are still in uniforms," Lacey said.

Over the course of the first 10 days, Lacey said officers conducted the patrols along the entire 9-mile length of Westerly's beaches. He noted that, as a result of an executive order from Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo pertaining to COVID-19, there are certain sections of the beach near local bars that are designated to allow for patrons to drink, allowing more opportunity to do so legally than in years past.

Most of those charged were not local, Lacey noted, with charges split primarily between beachgoers from Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island who had driven 30 minutes or more.

Consumption of alcohol in public is an infraction that carries carries a minimum fine of $100 and violators are issued a summons to Westerly Municipal Court. Minors in possession of alcohol, ages 18 to 21, are referred to Fourth Division District Court, and violators face a minimum penalty of a $200 court-ordered contribution to a charitable organization, 20 hours of community service, and a 60-day loss of their driver's license. Cases involving those under 18 are referred to Rhode Island Family Court.

Lacey said daily enforcement would continue "for at least another few weeks," then the agency will reevaluate and determine whether further daily efforts are still needed.

"Typically we'd found with the early enforcement, word spreads around, and we get a voluntary compliance from most people," he said. "Unfortunately, that just hasn't been the case this year."

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141 tickets issued for alcohol, other violations at Westerly beaches in past 10 days - The Westerly Sun