Senator Bob Singer reiterated his call for a coordinated statewide plan to help towns respond to pop-up parties following a deadly weekend in Wildwood that left two dead.

Sen. Bob Singer reiterated his call for a coordinated statewide plan to help towns respond to pop-up parties following a deadly weekend in Wildwood that left two dead. (Flickr)

“The tragic loss of life in Wildwood this weekend should serve as a wake-up call for anyone who thinks the concerns we raised about pop-up parties over the past year are overblown,” said Singer (R-30). “I hope the Administration will finally act on our request to create a task force of state and local officials who can work together to develop an effective coordinated plan to respond to future events.”

Noting that unplanned and unsanctioned pop-up events have disrupted coastal communities from Long Branch to Cape May, Singer said the task force he proposed should include participation from the Attorney General’s Office, New Jersey State Police, NJ Transit, and prosecutors, sheriffs, police chiefs, and mayors from every shore county.

Singer also urged action on legislation he sponsors with Senator Joe Pennacchio that updates the state’s riot law and creates the crimes of aggravated riot, inciting a riot, and aggravated inciting a riot.

The measure also addresses certain budgetary concerns related to law enforcement and provides that a municipality has a duty to allow law enforcement to respond appropriately to protect persons and property during a riot or an unlawful assembly.

“It’s going to take a combination of legislation to better target the disruption caused by pop-up parties and a comprehensive playbook that state and local officials can use to guide a coordinated response to these increasingly dangerous events,” added Singer. “Towns might have a hard time responding to large pop-up parties on their own, but they’ll have a much better chance of maintaining public safety if there are clear protocols for requesting and deploying additional local, county, and State resources when needed.”