The Seattle Police Department is reevaluating how to patrol a nude beach in the city following complaints by area residents of frequent masturbation at Denny Blaine Park. 

Last month, a community group, Denny Blaine for All, sued the city over what it claims is ongoing and unaddressed illegal activity at the park. The lawsuit alleges nearby residents often witness "lewd" public acts.

In addition to being an unofficial nude beach, Denny Blaine Park has historically been a gathering place for the LGBTQ community, which Seattle Police Chief Shon Barnes acknowledged in a statement on Thursday. Barnes issued the statement after a Sunday incident where Seattle police showed up at the beach for a premise check and threatened to bar anyone from the park who didn’t put on clothes – and trespassed one person who refused.

Park-goers are not committing a crime just for being in the buff. State law does not make being nude in public a crime. However, a person is guilty of indecent exposure if they intentionally make any open and obscene exposure of themselves in a way likely to cause reasonable affront or alarm. Barnes acknowledged that in his statement.