POINT PLEASANT BEACH, NJ — A Toms River man was arrested Sunday morning after allegedly dropping a gun inside a church and falsely claiming to be a law enforcement officer, authorities said.
Randolph Tashman, 60, was taken into custody by Point Pleasant Beach police and is being held at the Ocean County Jail in Toms River pending a detention hearing, police confirmed.
Officers were called to the unidentified church at 9:53 a.m. following reports of a man whose firearm fell from his pocket, according to authorities. Church security escorted Tashman outside before officers arrived, officials said.
Police said Tashman claimed he was a law enforcement officer, but investigators determined he had no such credentials, did not own the firearm, and lacked a valid firearms identification card.
Tashman faces charges of unlawful possession of a weapon and impersonating a law enforcement officer, police said.
The incident has raised questions about security protocols at places of worship.
