If you're going to the beach in Belmar, New Jersey, you better have a beach badge! Police took down this 28-year-old surfer named Liam Mahoney on Tuesday August 21, 2024. There are several beach towns in N.J. that are free, but Belmar is not one of them and Liam found out the hard way. Liam was served with his complaint copies and released on his own recognizance On Tuesday August 21, 2024 I was working day shift, assigned as the beachfront supervisor. Due to several recent complaints from beach gate attendants over the past week regarding multiple surfers entering the beach through the dunes and ignoring attendants requests to show their beach badges, the daily squad of Special Law Enforcement Officer Class Ones working on this date and myself responded to the 17th through 19th Ave beach to check for daily and seasonal beach badges, and to assist gate attendants with their badge checking duties.While near the 19th Avenue beach, near the lifeguard stand, I observed SLEO1 Jacoby #717 speaking with a subject on the beach. A moment later S/O Jacoby motioned for me to join him. I met with S/O Jacoby and a subject later identified as Liam Mahoney. I learned that the subject had been out in the water surfing and had just come in onto the beach. He did not have a beach badge, and told S/O Jacoby that he did not need one. I engaged in conversation with Mahoney and he told me that because he was surfing, he did not need a beach badge as access to the beach is free if you surf. I told him that the law I believed he was referring to was that access cannot be denied to the beachfront or water, and explained to him that Belmar does not have any obstacles or fences impeding his travel along it's beach line so that he cannot access the beach. I also stated there are stairs provided at every avenue of the beach so that the beach can be accessed from the street or boardwalk.Then I explained to him that under Title 40 of New Jersey Law, which stated if the governing body of the town /city etc. provide services to the beach, that they can then charge people in order to enter on the beach. I told him that there are several beach towns in N.J. that are free, but Belmar was not one of them.I told him he would be issued a ticket for not having a beach badge and asked him for identification or to provide his name. He told me "No, I don't need a badge." He then turned and began to walk away. Mahoney was specifically told at this point he was not free to leave and would be arrested if he continued to walk away.He stopped and asked me "Am I being detained?" I told him he was.He then engaged in the exact same conversation as we just had about how he thought it was a free beach if he was surfing. After discussing this again I then asked him again for his information and he told me "No" and this time turned towards the boardwalk and began to walk away. He was warned he was not free to leave by myself and S/O Jacoby at this point.I waited a few moments for Mahoney to stop but he did not, and continued walking towards the boardwalk. At this point I decided he would be placed under arrest for obstruction of justice and for not possessing / displaying a beach badge. I radioed to police hq's that I was going to have an arrest for same. I then caught up to Mahoney near the stairs to 19th Ave. beach entrance and told him, You are under arrest, drop his surfboard. When he released his surfboard, I attempted to handcuff him and told him to place his hands behind his back. He then flexed up his arms and locked his hands together in front of his stomach, preventing me from handcuffing him.I ordered Mahoney approximately nine to ten times to place his hands behind his back as he was under arrest,and he continued to flex his arms and body and continue preventing me from handcuffing him.While attempting to handcuff and struggle with Mahoney, an unknown female approached and began yelling and attempting to interfere in the arrest. A few of the SLEO1 officers surrounded me and attempted to block her from approaching me. I noticed a crowd beginning to approach me as well and I made the determination to take the subject to the ground to complete the handcuffing process. I was able to takedown the subject on the sand, and when on the sand, he continued to resist and struggle for a few moments still preventing me from handcuffing him. I was then assisted by SLEO1 Malik #715 and eventually able to secure Mahoney in handcuffs. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOdH5V1hktXOmjh3q-pK3vQ/join