Spring break is just around the corner and The Clearwater Police Department said they are estimating as many as 50,000 cars a day to cross over the Memorial Causeway, bringing heavier traffic and larger crowds to the area over the next few weeks.
City officials said additional surveillance and law enforcement will be in place as tourism increases.
Rob Shaw, police information officer for the Clearwater Police Department, said the beach is gathering law enforcement from all over to help assist with patrols as spring break reaches its peak.
“We expect the peak week to be next week, when a lot of the local school systems and universities are out. And so the entire month of March and into the first couple of weeks in April are always busy,” Shaw said. “Because of that we are doubling the amount of personnel out there on the beach.”
Officers will patrol the area on foot, bicycles, patrol cars, boats and ATVs along the beach. Shaw said the increased presence is intended to help keep Clearwater Beach a family-friendly destination with these large crowds.
There will be no curfew on the beach and the area remains an alcohol-free zone. Shaw said Clearwater typically does not experience rowdy crowds like in the Panhandle or in Southeast Florida. Many visitors tend to be families, high school students or residents from nearby Hillsborough County.
However, officers will still enforce rules against alcohol consumption and other violations.
“We make sure that we hit that hard. We don’t like anybody drinking. We don’t like underage drinking. So officers really will do a lot of patrolling on the sand to look for those types of violations because we found that typically alcohol fuels certain behaviors that are not necessarily good for a family environment,” Shaw said.
The fine for possessing or consuming alcohol on the beach is $118 for first-time offenders.
Other prohibited items include amplified sound equipment, drones, dogs and weapons.
Each beach has their own rules, and it’s recommended that visitors check city websites and social media before arriving to see what items are permitted.
Corporal Jamie Miller said in a statement that the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office will also have extra patrols along the beaches during spring break. The department has posted a list of prohibited items and other guidelines, which can be found on social media. Many beaches are also sharing parking information and regulations online to help visitors plan ahead.
Parking can be one of the biggest challenges during the busy season. Shaw recommends using alternative transportation when possible, since parking spaces will fill quickly/
The city is offering a free trolley service from downtown Clearwater to the beach and a ferry service will be available.
According to the Clearwater Ferry Taxi Service website, ferry fares are $4 for an adult. Children ages four through 12 cost $2, while children under three are free. Seniors and military guests cost $3.
“Traffic is an issue. We always encourage people that if you’re going to go to the beach, go early to beat the traffic,” Shaw said. “Maybe stay late to avoid peak times unless you want to sit in traffic.”
This year, the police department will also be using a new drone as part of an attest program aimed at improving response times during emergencies.
Shaw said the drone has been used for about a month and can quickly respond to critical incidents when officers can be delayed due to traffic.
“It allows us to respond to critical incidents. It’s not there for surveillance, it's not there to monitor or anything like that. It will only respond to specific calls. Think about if we have lost a child on the beach, if we have a missing swimmer or a boat in trouble, this drone can be overhead in the matter of probably 45 seconds,” Shaw said.
Shaw said the drone has been used about 15 times in March and is ready for spring break. The drone can be used by both the police and fire department for calls and is stationed on the beach.
Spring break is a time for visitors to relax and enjoy the beach, but officials are asking tourists to plan ahead, follow rules and respect the surrounding community. Residents should also expect heavier traffic for the rest of the month as tourism increases.
