News :: GLBT
Cape authorities crack down on public sex by Scott Kearnan
EDGE ContributorTuesday Jul 1, 2008Summer’s here and the livin’ --and frequently, men--easy.
But if you’re planning to head down to Provincetown’s famous sand dunes to add another notch in your belt, you may want to consider buckling up; otherwise, you might wind up nailed--and not in the way you intended.
Cape authorities are cracking down on public sex acts, following a massive leap in citations issued for such activity in 2007. Last year, 132 citations were issued in the northern district (Provincetown and Truro) of the Cape Cod National Seashore, according to Seashore statistics reported by Cape Cod Times. That’s compared to an average of 70 such citations annually from 2003 to 2006 and a comparatively puritanical average of just 40 in even earlier years.
According to the Times report, the Seashore’s acting chief ranger Craig Thatcher is unable to account for the dramatic increase, and says there has been no increase in law enforcement--and, one can assume, no end-of-month quotas--to account for the uptake.
"There is a time to be discreet, and there are places to go and do those types of things." Most recently, the Seashore received a call on Wednesday, June 11 of a senior citizen flasher on Herring Cove Beach. And some of last year’s widely reported incidents leave even less to the imagination: in September 2007, a New Jersey family taking their children for a dune stroll reported stumbling upon a gay male orgy. And in August 2007, a whale-watch boat captain reported stumbling upon a group of 20-30 men "playing around" by Wood Lighthouse.
To combat these episodes and stave the increase of incidents, the Seashore is collaborating with Provincetown police and business owners to employ both a "zero tolerance" response and proactive public education.
Newly appointed Provincetown police chief Jeff Jaran is on board. "It’s not acceptable, decent, moral behavior," Jaran tells reporters. "There is a time to be discreet, and there are places to go and do those types of things."
And following a recent meeting with the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce and Provincetown Business Guild, Seashore officials will draft a statement regarding the issue for both groups to disseminate (giggle!) to local businesses, tourists and the like.
When it comes to public sex, these efforts may help authorities finger the perp... assuming, of course, they don’t have to wait in a line.
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