Led away in Handcuffs

[rocket136]

This morning as my wife and I were returing form a shoreline walk we saw county officials asking a couple of men to move their "set up" from infront of The Retreat at Blue Mountain Beach. About an hour later my wife saw him being led from the beach in handcuffs for tresspassing. One of the men was taking pictures... maybe we'll see them post them here.

I know from reading previous posts that this is a hot button issue but it seems that some want to enforce the "letter of the law". I saw where they were placed and it was close to the water line very near the boundry of the Inn at Blue Mountain. They seemed to minding their own business. As the sherriff left I happened to walk by them and heard "I think it was the right call... where the wet sand meets the dry".

I'm confused, the beachgoers were were set up outside of the posted signs. If the owners really want to keep people out can they fence in their beach? (not that I'd want to see that)

In the many years of coming to SoWal I've always been impressed with the civility of residents and tourists -- although I have heard some horror stories. We abolutely love it here and treat it as though we already live here. But I was very surprised that it seems the owners are calling the country for what seems such a small infraction -- seems like a waste.

This was the second day in a row that I saw county officials inforcing the private beach rule.

Is the pendulum swinging?

 

[seacrestkristi]

rocket136, that is just a bunch of horse hockey! I can't believe how greedy some folks can be, not sharing the beach. It's not like they were disturbing anyone from what you're describing.

 

[Smiling JOe]

I'm confused, the beachgoers were were set up outside of the posted signs. If the owners really want to keep people out can they fence in their beach? (not that I'd want to see that)

It wasn't me. I wonder if it was Bobby J . I wonder how many people they could hold in our jail??? :scratch: I can read the headlines now, "Walton County Jail, overcrowded with beach goers, leaves the Sheriff with no place to lock up violent criminals."

My guess is that they would have to be permitted to do so by the DEP and I don't see it being likely that the DEP would issue one.

 

[Ocean Lover]

Free BobbyJ, Free Bobby J!

 

[elgordoboy]

Fence building, law-breaking, filling up jail cells with non-violent misdemeanor offenders leaving no room for violent criminals---oops sorry folks I am in the wrong thread thought it was the Immigration Debate. This sucks too though.

 

[Hop]

handcuffs??? seriously?!?!? has it really come to that???

 

[ShallowsNole]

If the "owners" of that patch of sand file a complaint, and they insist that the "trespassers" be removed, the officers have no choice but to treat the "offenders" as if they were camping in your back yard - lest they be accused of selectively enforcing laws.

Of course, some officers are better negotiators than others. Seems to me that handcuffs could have been avoided, but at least they didn't use leg irons - hard to walk up the hill in those.

Also seems to me that "owners" of a piece of beach that would call the law and tie them up on silly stuff like that need to take a anti-pucker pill and wash it down with a stiff drink. :angry:

**Note: opinions expressed herein are my own and not those of anyone associated with the WCSO...**

 

[rocket136]

handcuffs??? seriously?!?!? has it really come to that???

I kidd you not...

I haven't posted much but I've been lurking for a long time. I just couldn't let this one go without people knowing.

Seacrestkristi: thanks for the welcome! not only have you got a beautiful place I'm amazed at the sense of community fostered by the forum

While on vacation down here over the years I've met many locals and I can really feel for them. Right now some of the very wealthy are moving in and the change has mixed reviews. Not wanting to lump everyone into the same label but the lady I saw yesterday egging on the county official to kick them out and was heard saying "if you paid a million dollars for your property you would protect it too".
If they claim beach rights what's next? water rights? Air rights? (I can just see some of the extremists taking pot shots at the realestatefiresales.com plane for flying over their beach)

 

[JB]

I think there must be a little more to this story. If he/they were in front of the retreat, they would have had to either a) walk a long distance from the nearest public access, or b) enter the Retreat community illegally.

 

[Beach Runner]

The irony is that beachfront developers try to claim up to the high-water mark as their property for the purpose of density computations (and that acreage is what shows up on the county tax appraiser's website), when in reality the buildable area from P.O.B. is much less than that. So I guess if they can try to claim part of the beach to justify their high-density developments, they (as well as beachfront owners) can try to prohibit people from trespassing on their property that extends to the water line.

IMO this is absolutely absurd.