New Jersey Surfer Accepts Plea Deal After Beach Badge Arrest

Liam Mahoney, a California surfer, was arrested last summer in Belmar, New Jersey, after refusing to show a required beach badge to police following a surfing session. The incident, captured on police bodycam footage, escalated when Mahoney refused to provide identification and tried to walk away, leading officers to tackle and handcuff him. While Mahoney did not have the badge on him during the encounter, it was revealed he was borrowing one from his sister. Police stated that the arrest was due to obstruction and resisting arrest rather than the lack of a beach badge itself. Mahoney pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, obstruction, resisting arrest, and a beach badge violation, receiving a combined fine and entering a diversion program where charges will be dismissed upon completing probation. This case highlights tensions around enforcement of local beach regulations and the rights of surfers in New Jersey.