Morristown police report large crowds, few arrests at parade

0

Perhaps making up for smaller numbers at last year’s rescheduled parade, Saturday’s Morris County St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Morristown apparently drew the largest crowd in years, police reported.

morristown police badgePolice arrested 13 people and issued 135 citations, with most incidents occurring after the parade ended, the Morristown department said. “The crowds were managed, and any problems were handled.” Officers from several other jurisdictions assisted Morristown police.

Police reported making arrests for three assaults; one sexual contact; six disorderly conduct, improper behavior or fighting incidents; one underage possession or consumption of alcohol; and two trespassing incidents.

Police reported issuing the following citations for violations of local ordinances: 88 for drinking in public; 46 for urinating in public; and one for littering.

The Morristown EMS responded to 24 calls on Saturday, parade day, and 17 of those patients identified themselves as being in town for the parade, according to EMS Capt. Dominick Sandelli.

Of those 17 patients:

  • 15 were for alcohol related illness
  • 1 was a pediatric spectator injury during the parade
  • 1 was a pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle.
  • EMS personnel also assisted the Morristown police after an arrest for cleanup.

The volunteer emergency workers were assisted in their coverage by ambulances from Chester, Florham Park, Mendham Boro, Mendham Twp, New Vernon and Randolph.

Figures were not immediately available for last year’s parade aftermath; the 2010 event drew fewer people than usual because weather forced it to be rescheduled after St. Patrick’s Day.

In 2009, there were 18 arrests and 102 summonses on the weekend of the parade. In addition, the local ambulance squad made 26 calls and took 17 people who were “incapacitated” by alcohol to the hospital. The EMS made 13 such trips in 2008, three in 2007, and seven trips both in 2006 and 2005, according to police in 2009.

Arrest figures for prior years are a bit sketchier. According to a Star-Ledger report, in 2008 there were 19 arrests, 33 citations and 9 EMS calls responding to alcohol-related problems on parade weekend.

Police made 11 arrests and wrote 28 tickets on parade weekend of 2008, and arrested 14 people and issued 60 citations in 2007, according to a Daily Record editorial in 2008.

–Kevin Coughlin contributed to this story.

LEAVE A REPLY