A helicopter hovered above the water at the foot of River Street Thursday morning as authorities conducted unknown “police operations.” (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
[Editor’s Note: This story is updated with information from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.]
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Red Bank and Monmouth County authorities are conducting “police operations” in the area of River Street, next to the primary school, which include a helicopter and police in a boat where Swimming River meets the upper Navesink River.
One official was overheard saying the efforts are related to a missing person report, but declined to confirm that information, and deferred all questioning to the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
First Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni would not comment further on the activity, only saying it’s a “law enforcement operation.”
About a half-dozen fire and police vehicles were on the scene at the foot of River Street as early as 10 a.m. Red Bank officers in jeans and blue polo shirts and officials from the Prosecutor’s Office, in black polo shirts, black boots and khaki pants — some wearing gloves — gathered in small groups and talked among each other while a helicopter floated above the water and occasionally dipped down above nearby yards.
Red Bank Superintendent Laura Morana and Business Administrator Annie Darrow stopped by the scene for about five minutes, spoke with authorities and left. Traffic to and from the primary school was uninterrupted, and curious neighbors were told by police not to be alarmed.
At about 11:20 a.m., a group of police officers boarded a small boat and floated along the river. Around the same time, county officials arrived with a search dog.
Red Bank Police Chief Steve McCarthy said he is not authorized to release any information at this time. Gramiccioni said he did not anticipate any more details to become available to the media today, or even in the next day or two.
redbankgreen will provide an update as more information becomes available.
