August 23, 2024
Belmar Police Department/Facebook
Liam Mahoney, 28, is seen above in body-camera footage holding a surfboard before police officers arrested him. Belmar police allege that Mahoney obstructed an officer's investigation and resisted arrest.
Facing criticism after a two-minute video of a surfer being arrested circulated on social media, Belmar police released body-camera footage Thursday in an attempt to add context to the encounter.
Belmar Police Chief Tina Scott wrote a statement alleging that the surfer, 28-year-old Liam Mahoney of Junction City, California, obstructed police and resisted arrest Tuesday.
About six minutes of bodycam footage shows an officer confronting Mahoney, who is holding his surfboard. Mahoney is walking away and the officer insists he is not free to leave and threatens to arrest him. After Mahoney continues to walk away, the officer attempts to arrest Mahoney, who refuses to put his hands behind his back.
The officer forces Mahoney's surfboard out of his hands, and he and another officer pin him down to the ground as other beach visitors shout at police. The officers force Mahoney's hands behind his back and handcuff him before escorting him into a police vehicle.
(Warning: The video below contains profanity.)
Posted by Belmar Police Department on Thursday, August 22, 2024
According to Scott's statement, officers were conducting checks for beach badges due to complaints of surfers illegally entering the beach through the dunes. Scott said officers asked Mahoney to show his badge and identification, and Mahoney refused to do so.
"To be clear, Mr. Mahoney was not arrested for not having a beach badge," Scott wrote. "He was arrested because he obstructed the officer’s investigation by refusing to give his identification or pedigree information. Mr. Mahoney was also advised he was not free to leave and continued to walk away during this encounter."
Scott then clarifies that "all municipalities bordering on the Atlantic Ocean have the right to charge reasonable fees" to maintain the beach and says that a review of the arrest is being conducted in accordance with the state's attorney general guidelines.
