TOMS RIVER, NJ – Police in Toms River had a wild night on March 29th. Residents on social media noted an increase in police presence across the town that Friday night. Today, in response to an OPRA request, township officials released police reports regarding incidents that occurred that night.
Residents reported seeing large police responses near the Garden State Parkway, the Ocean County Mall, and Downtown Toms River.
Here’s what happened.
A series of public safety incidents occurred, requiring significant police and security response. At 1201 Hooper Avenue, in the OC Mall, a large group of unruly juveniles gathered inside and outside the mall premises. Multiple police units and mall security managed to disperse the crowd without major incidents.
Later, the South Toms River police requested support for handling large fights in their area. Multiple units, including Sgt. Buhowski as the Incident Commander, responded to assist.
The nigh ended with a call from another agency for support in Toms River. During a police pursuit originating in Stafford Township, local authorities were requested to shut down exits from the Parkway into the township to manage the situation effectively.