Thursday, October 1, 2026
The Long Beach Police Department arrested approximately nine people on Saturday, Oct. 2, most of them disorderly conduct charges.
Five of arrests were made in the West End, after the Irish Day parade and festival, officials said, although a few were for DWI.
Police said 39 summonses were issued as well, mainly alcohol-related and for noise and public urination. Police also said that a summons was issued at the home of a middle school parent for violating the social host law during a party. That incident was not related to Irish Day, police said, and did not occur in the West End.
“Police did an excellent job in maintaining order. Obviously, because of the magnitude of it, arrests were made and numerous summonses were issued — you have a lot of people in a small area, and a lot going on, and with that comes disorderly conduct,” said Deputy Inspector Bruce Meyer.
Irish Day drew more than 10,000 people, West End Neighbors Civic Association President Rick Hoffman said, and many lauded the police department’s role in the event.
About 40 police officers, both plainclothes and uniformed, were on duty that day, and included mounted, motorcycle and foot patrols along Oceanview and West Park Avenue, as well as other areas. Over 100 barricades were put in place this year along West End streets to deter revelers from spilling into residential neighborhoods, Meyer said. Many of those were placed near the bar areas, and in the days leading up to the festivities, police said that making sure people stayed away from residential streets was a priority.
“All in all the barricades were a big help and you could see police were out and about,” Hoffman said.
Four mounted officers worked to clear the street as the parade wrapped up, Meyer and others added.
“It helped us open the streets more quickly and kind of set the tone for the general public to stay off the street once it was open,” Meyer said.
Long Beach Fire Chief Scott Kemins said that the department had an ambulance stationed on the West End, and said that they received about six-to-eight emergency calls for falls and cuts, some of which were a result of intoxication.“We had more calls than we normally would,” Kemins said.
One victim was transported to South Nassau Communities Hospital with a facial injury following an altercation, Kemins said.
Some residents served as community liaisons, which worked with the police department in an effort to monitor any illegal activity and prevent people from coming onto residential streets.
“That’s one of the most important things we talk about,” said Jay Barj, general manager of Minnesota’s. “We have a ton of security who watch our property and the properties behind us. We keep music down and try to make sure that no people walk out with drinks, and we communicate with the police department.”
For some residents, however, the crowds, noise and public urination are often an issue. “It’s getting too big,” said one West End resident who asked not to be named. “For a lot of us who live here, we like it for the family part of it, but I don’t even go out of my house at night.”
