Policing Rockaway reservoir snags in legalisms
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
By KEN THORBOURNE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy is in hot water with his Rockaway Township counterpart.

Mayor Louis Sceusi wants to step up crowd control in and around the 625-acre Split Rock Reservoir in his township, which Jersey City owns. But Healy, according to a letter Sceusi dashed off to the mayor on Aug. 14, is holding him up.

"We are again requesting permission for our police department to patrol and enforce trespassers in and around the Reservoir area to prevent any potential dangerous or life threatening situation," Sceusi wrote.

"Over this past weekend, there was much activity around the remote areas of the Reservoir, including drunken and disorderly conduct, parties, etc., which could have resulted in dangerous situations, leading to potential liability concerns," Sceusi added.

According to the letter, Jersey City's corporation counsel, William Matsikoudis, met with township officials on June 7, but nothing was resolved and there's been no follow-up.

But Healy says several issues have to be sorted out before policing Split Rock is handed over to Rockaway Township police - including holding Jersey City legally harmless for the actions of township cops.

"Further clarification needs to be made on whether the state, through its park rangers or State Police, should patrol the property, or if the Rockaway Township Police Department should enforce the law, but indemnify the city in case of a liability," Healy said yesterday.

Ten years ago, Jersey City - over the objections of the township - signed an easement with the state's Department of Environmental Protection to allow recreation, including electric-powered boating.

The deal netted Jersey City $1.5 million, but left Rockaway Township with a host of headaches, including children swinging off tree limbs and into the water even though swimming is prohibited.

Sceusi is seeking an agreement from Jersey City that only a police officer's testimony would be needed to prosecute a complaint at Split Rock, according to a news report.

Without such an agreement, a Jersey City official would have to appear in court in order to prosecute an offender.