CLEARWATER, Fla. — Starting this weekend, you can expect to see a growing police presence on local beaches.
Spring break is underway, and in South Florida, they’ve made it clear they don’t want the crowds there anymore.
Earlier this week, the city of Miami Beach took to social media saying it was “breaking up with spring break”.
The decision follows last year’s deadly violence in Miami Beach that included two fatal shootings and a state of emergency being declared by local officials.
Now, local police agencies in the Tampa Bay area say they are gearing up for the potential crowd, and monitoring social media to see if there are any organized plans to come here instead.
So far, they say, that doesn't seem to be the case.
“Whether that be just gathering in large crowds and making a lot of noise and trying to take over a portion of the beach, those are the things that we look for,” Lt. Meg Hasty with the Clearwater Police Department said.
On Wednesday, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office released its own video on social media, reminding people about the area beach restrictions, including no smoking, alcohol or loud music.
Clearwater Police were shooting a similar promo.
Police say they have 25 officers working shifts during Pinellas County’s spring break, and more on standby if necessary.