Allenhurst Loses Veteran Police Sergeant
By GARRETT STASSE
 Coaster Photo: Allenhurst Police Sgt. James Gaul (center row, fourth from right) was the guest of a honor at a retirement luncheon last week. Employees of the police department, the public works department and clerical staff of Allenhurst gathered to congratulate him on his retirement after 27 years of service. Allenhurst Police Chief Robert Richter is fifth from right in the center row. |
Allenhurst is losing a veteran police officer.
Sgt. James Gaul, a 27-year veteran who has seen and done much in this small town, served his final shift.
He will be replaced by Ptl. Michael Schneider, who was recently promoted to sergeant by the Board of Commissioners. The board will also begin to search for a replacement to bring the nine-member squad back to strength.
Schneider is a 12-year veteran.
The board also announced an ordinance that will tighten building requirements that will limit lot coverage.
Gaul, 49, began as a patrolman in 1982. He was promoted to sergeant five years ago. In those years, he’s seen his share of action, having worked on murders, accidental deaths, burglaries and a long list of traffic and safety projects. He was called out early Christmas Day in 1992 for the epic fire that destroyed a block of Main Street.
Mayor David McLoughlin said it was a sad day.
“This is the end of an era,” he said. “Thank you for all your service.”
Gaul said he enjoyed his tour and noted he’d spend “half his life here.
“There’ve been a lot of good things done in this town. I kind of got the gamut here.”
He noted there are a couple of cases still to be solved. One is finding the second-story burglar who hit apartments several years ago. Another is finding whoever stole antique bronze street lights from the Jersey Central Power & Light Co. building a few weeks ago.
He plans to join the Monmouth University Police Department on May 1.
In other business, the commissioners said they were disappointed the borough could not persuade Interlaken to accept an offer to provide police services. The latter chose to rebuild the department after residents gave the idea strong support.
“We worked very hard on the negotiations with Interlaken but they weren’t interested in our terms,” McLoughlin said. “Unfortunately, they chose a path where they want to start their department up again. The board felt we had a good opportunity.
“We sat down with very open minds to work things out but unfortunately they didn’t.”
Commissioner Terrence Bolan said money wasn’t the issue. Interlaken residents who spoke at a town meeting said they strongly favored having their own department and there was little, if any opposition expressed, he said.
“Interlaken wasn’t concerned with the cost. They wanted their own police department. I think they (the Interlaken Borough Council) bowed to the majority of their residents.”
Allenhurst offered several options that would have guaranteed patrols in Interlaken around the clock. Ocean Township bid $175,000 a year for services.
McLoughlin announced a hearing on an ordinance that would limit impervious lot coverage to 40 percent of the property, down 5 percent from the original proposal. Impervious coverage is buildings, driveways, sidewalks, decks, pools and so forth. Borough Engineer Peter Avakian surveyed the town and recommended the change.
All existing properties that exceed the 40 percent limit will be grandfathered in as pre-existing, nonconforming uses, Borough Clerk Lori Osborn said.
McLoughlin said the move will help improve storm water runoff and preserve the borough’s appearance.
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