By Susannah Bryan
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Spring Breakers looking for a good time will surely find it here in the Sunshine State.
But troublemakers intent on causing chaos and mayhem also will find more cops on patrol and ready to enforce the laws of the land, Gov Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday during a news conference in Miami Beach.
Florida is sending in 140 state troopers to assist 17 cities across the state that have requested help keeping order during Spring Break, including Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Miami Beach, Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach, DeSantis told reporters.
“If you’re coming here and you’re committing crimes and causing havoc, you are going to pay the price,” DeSantis said. “We will hold you accountable. That’s what we do here. That is not going to fly in the Sunshine State.”
In addition, the Florida Highway Patrol is providing 24 “Quick Response” troopers in Broward, Dade, Volusia and Bay counties to immediately respond to incidents requiring additional law enforcement personnel.
The news was a surprise to Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis.
“Things are fun and quiet here in Fort Lauderdale,” Trantalis said Tuesday. “We don’t want to create an environment like a combat zone. This is a free and open beach for everyone to enjoy. I have complete faith in our first responders to handle anything, but I appreciate the state’s offer to help in case of an emergency.”
Fort Lauderdale City Manager Greg Chavarria says the state offered assistance to all coastal communities.
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department accepted the offer. State troopers will be assisting with traffic management near A1A and Seabreeze Boulevard, a notoriously busy area.
Trantalis made note of the message being put out by Miami Beach that it’s “breaking up” with Spring Break after enduring a climate of chaos over the past few years. But he’s not sure the message is having the intended effect.
“Miami Beach is putting out messaging that they are a place for bad boys,” Trantalis said. “That’s like catnip, drawing them there. You think Miami Beach is closed? The place is packed.”
In recent years, Miami Beach has become ground zero for spring break mayhem.
There was trouble in 2021, when officers made more than 1,000 arrests. In 2022, five people were injured in two separate shootings on Ocean Drive, generating headlines across the globe. Last year, police responded to two shootings on Ocean Drive that left two people dead. The number of arrests: Nearly 500.
Each year, Miami Beach has declared a state of emergency in response to the overwhelming crowds and sometimes deadly gun violence. Curfews were imposed and causeways closed in an attempt to calm the chaos on the streets.
This year, state troopers will be on hand at the start to help with traffic flow and any other issues that arise, DeSantis said.
“We’re a law and order state,” he said. “Florida is a very welcoming state. We welcome people to come and have a good time. What we don’t welcome is criminal activity.”
More than 60 state troopers are being sent to South Florida alone, DeSantis said. Another 60 are heading to Spring Break hot spots such as Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach.
The Florida Highway Patrol and local police will be relying on mobile license plate readers to track down people with outstanding warrants and stolen vehicles, DeSantis said.
Visitors to Miami Beach will also find DUI checkpoints, curfews, bag checks and early beach closures.
Uniformed officers will be patrolling in vehicles, ATVs, bicycles, on foot and along the waterways, DeSantis said.
“The state’s got a lot going on,” the governor said. “It’s a fun place to be. We want to see people (have fun). But we are also going to insist that people respect the law, that order is kept in the streets. We want to keep people safe.”
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