Cops: Ban Booze for Lighthouse Point Park

Lighthouse Point Park is the last spot in New Haven where drinking alcohol in a public place is allowed, but police want to end that.

The cop in charge of the East Shore district, which includes the popular beach and picnic area at Lighthouse Point, spoke to the aldermanic committee about the issue on Monday night and said it's all about public safety.

“All we can do is send officers down there, watch (people) drink and send an ambulance when they get too drunk,” Lt. Jeff Hoffman told the New Haven Register.

Some of the aldermen agreed with Hoffman's take on the problems at Lighthouse Point Park, but others questioned how police would be able to enforce the ban.

Hoffman told the panel that police wouldn't be out to write tickets to everyone who has alcohol at the park, but would step in when the drinking gets out of hand, the paper reports.

Alderman Michael Jones took it a step further, asking if certain groups might be targeted, the Register reports.  

“My biggest concern is that we all know that something like this is going to be enforced as a result of complaints,” Jones said. “And so we then have to ask ourselves, 'Who are the people who are going to be targeted as a result of those complaints? Who are going to be considered as undesirables.' ... They are going to be young people and they are likely going to be minorities as well.”

Public drinking is banned in the rest of the city. Police can write a $99 ticket for anyone caught with an open container.

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