BELMAR, NJ (OP-ED) – New Jersey’s infamous beach badge policy is making headlines again after a surfer was arrested in Belmar for not displaying his badge. The incident involved Liam Mahoney, who was surfing near the high water mark when he was confronted by police. According to reports, Mahoney had his badge in his sister’s bag, but Officer Ryan Braswell didn’t believe him, leading to a heated exchange and Mahoney’s eventual arrest.
Police claim the arrest wasn’t for the beach badge, but the surfer’s resisting police checking his badge.
The arrest has reignited the debate over the fairness of charging for beach access in New Jersey, a state with a long history of requiring beachgoers to purchase and display badges. Critics argue that these fees, which fund beach maintenance, create unnecessary barriers, especially for lower-income families and visitors. Under the Public Trust Doctrine, New Jersey holds that the public has the right to access coastal areas, yet local enforcement of badge requirements can be strict, as in Belmar’s case…