LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP, NJ – Ocean County Deputy Fire Marshall John P. Pasola has apologized for comments he posted on Facebook regarding the township and its large Orthodox Jewish community. Pasola, in March during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic made comments about Lakewood’s Jewish community in several posts, calling the town a “sh*t hole town”, but going further.
Responding to a post by Point Pleasant Boro Mayor Paul Kanitra in March when he announced the closure of the Point Pleasant beach and boardwalk.
“Hope so, keep the trash and dirty ones from Lakewood out,” Pasola said. “They are all captains in Hatzolah and EMS. That’s their way around everything.”
Then Pasola turned his anger towards Point Pleasant.
“Your town after Sandy became a cesspool,” he posted. “It used to be a nice town.”
“First, I would like to apologize to theLakewood community. The comments posted on my Facebook account were insensitive, disrespectful and offensive to your community, especially the Orthodox Jewish Community,” he wrote in a letter.
Pasola was suspended without pay and demoted according to the county.