BY CHRISTINE VARNO
Staff Writer
OCEAN TOWNSHIP — The township Quality-of-Life Task Force was responsible for the arrest of seven Monmouth University students earlier in the month.
The task force was formed as a result of complaints received by the township from residents who say tenants of seasonal rentals in residential neighborhoods are rowdy and dangerous to the community, according to Chief Robert Swannack.
He said the majority of the problems seem to be generated from students of the West Long Branch university who occupy rental homes in Ocean Township’s residential neighborhoods.
“[The complaints] are usually about college students who rent homes and have late parties and make loud noise,” Swannack said.
The complaints about seasonal rentals allege properties not maintained, illegal parking, alcoholic beverages being served to minors, urinating in public, and noise, according to Swannack.
“So we set up the task force,” he said.
The task force consists of one police officer whose assignment is to observe areas of college and seasonal rentals where problems have been reported.
He said the main areas are Oakhurst Manor, Roosevelt Avenue North, Park Avenue and East of Monmouth Road.
“If [the patrol officer] sees a party starting, it is observed,” Swannack said. “If the party gets larger, [the patrol officer] calls for back up.”
Usually three undercover detectives arrive as the backup, according to Swannack, who said the undercover officers assist in observing the party, and if any of them hear or see a violation, they act on it
“It has been very successful,” he said.
The task force went to work on the weekend of Oct. 8 and 9 and found 25 individuals subject to summons and arrest.
Since school started in September, there have been 15 arrests, 10 noise summonses, and 36 consumption of alcohol on private property by minors summonses issued by the task force.
On Oct. 8 at approximately 1:15 a.m., at 259 Roosevelt Ave., the four male tenants of the rental residence were arrested and charged with providing alcohol to underage persons, according to Lt. Antonio Amodio.
Charged were: Jason M. Addesso, 21, and James Moffitt, 19, both of Bayville; Louis R. DeMarco, 19, of Howell; and Daniel T. Veith, 19, of Carlstadt. All four attend Monmouth University.
On the same night at the same location, six individuals received summonses for violating numerous town ordinances, mostly involving alcohol, Amodio said.
The following night at 12:30 a.m. at 220 Elberon Blvd., three Monmouth University tenants of the rental residence were arrested and all were charged with providing alcohol to underage persons, according to Amodio.
Charged were: William S. Dempsey, 22, of Chatham; Todd M. Dacus, 22, of Forked River; and James R. Bassford, 22, of Glen Ridge.
Twelve individuals at the residence received summonses for violating town ordinances that evening, according to Amodio.

