SWAMPSCOTT — It’s before the official start of summer, and uniformed police officers have already been called to Swampscott’s beaches to break up groups of more than 25 youths not complying with COVID-19 regulations. Town officials have sent a warning: If bad behavior becomes frequent, beaches will close.
Last week, Swampscott passed definitive rules for beach-goers, including not gathering in groups of more than 10 people, and wearing masks when entering and exiting the beach and when unable to maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet from others. The rules are largely in line with state-level advisories on COVID-19.
However, Board of Health Director Marianne Hartmann said a large group of children at Phillips Beach on Wednesday were largely noncompliant when approached by Police Chief Ron Madigan and the town’s Recreation Director Danielle Strauss, who asked them to follow the rules. Some of them were underage and drinking, and one male even became “aggressive,” approaching Strauss without a mask on.
“The kids did nothing, they just stared at them blankly. They actually had to call in uniformed officers to make these kids comply,” Hartmann said.
Uniformed officers were called to the beach to break up the group. Hartmann said a similar situation happened the previous Friday, and that the behavior is the “exact type of thing we were concerned would happen” when beaches opened.
“This is how they are treating adults, aggressively coming after somebody with no mask on … Calling names in a disgusting manner is absolutely beyond comprehension to me,” Hartmann said. “I was furious. I was so furious I called the town administrator and said, ‘That’s it. Just shut down the beaches if people can’t behave on them.’”
Hartmann said the children on Wednesday were “definitely Swampscott kids” because those responding knew them, and she asks parents in Swampscott to talk to their children about beach behavior.
“It’s only the few that are going to ruin it for the many,” said Select Board Chairman Peter Spellios.
Spellios said police will be increasing patrols at the beaches. It’s early in the summer season, but it will only take “relatively few” incidents before the town has to change its beach regulations.
Swampscott Public Health Director Jeff Vaughan also said he visited Phillips Beach with uniformed officers, and while many people were following the rules, they received “blank stares and no movement” when initially asking a large group of children to comply. The group, some of whom were drinking, were told to comply with the rules or leave. They eventually left, but were then called back to clean up their littered trash, Vaughan said.
According to Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald, most people are following the rules at the beach, but additional signs have been posted to remind people of the regulations.
All of Swampscott’s COVID-19 orders are available on the town website, www.swampscottma.gov. The orders around wearing masks and gathering in large groups may be enforced with a $300 fine.
Swampscott Fire Chief Graham Archer said he and Chief Madigan have come up with a plan to enforce compliance with COVID-19 regulations at the beaches, and both departments will have a stronger “presence” at the beaches. Archer said he thinks it’s only a minority of people not following the rules, and he’s optimistic that the right message can get sent to beach-goers this early in the season. Otherwise, the departments will issue citations.
“There’s going to be a significant presence on the beach and we’re going to see if we can rectify behavior,” Archer said.
David McLellan can be reached at [email protected].
