Miami Mayor Meiner told me that they had a united front. From government agencies to businesses, everyone wanted a safer, happier spring break scene.
Florida has long been a popular destination during the winter months. Whether the panhandle’s beaches, the theme parks of Orlando or the quieter Gulf Coast, the state had something for everyone. But for years, everyone knew that Miami Beach was best avoided in the 'spring break' months of March and April. South Beach, in particular, on the southern tip, was a rowdy place to be. Fights, garbage and arrests were all standard. The crowds were excessive and felt dangerous.
Police were very present but quietly so. It didn’t seem like a scary environment that required police presence, just that they were around in case of any problems. The city felt safer but also cleaner and more organized. Disorderly crowds were nowhere to be seen. I had assumed they achieved this result with more arrests. But, in fact, arrests were down this year from previous years. It turns out deterrence played an important role.
The mayor told me the city had 'no fatalities, no stampedes,' during the spring break time, as they had had in previous years. The message of the Miami Beach cleanup to other cities is: It doesn’t have to be this way. Miami Beach has shown that good coordination among government agencies leads to good results. But they’ve also shown that enforcing the law, and telling visitors they plan to do so, leads to more law-abiding behavior.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Police in Fort Lauderdale report surge of spring breakers amid Miami Beach crackdownSpring break-related arrests in Fort Lauderdale spiked, but largely due to a surge of party seekers, as police reported isolated violent incidents during an otherwise tame season
Read more »
Column: Chicago Bulls are heading back to South Beach with another shot at the Miami HeatJimmy Butler knocked the Chicago Bulls out last season in the play-in game in Miami. But his status is unknown because of a right knee injury that could give the Bulls a big advantage Friday.
Read more »
Sean 'Diddy' Combs bikes around Miami Beach, appearing carefree days after federal raidsEmbattled hip-hop mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs takes a spin on his bicycle through Miami Beach, photos show, days after federal investigators raided his nearby mansion.
Read more »
Paraiso Miami Beach Sets Agenda for Next Edition May 30 to June 2Paraiso will be held May 30 to June 2 in Miami Beach.
Read more »
Living the beach life in Tijuana and Imperial Beach under the shadow of a sewage crisisThe two communities divided by the U.S.-Mexico border have long been connected by the same environmental crisis plaguing their shared Pacific Ocean
Read more »
Dirt road at San Onofre Surf Beach repaired, surfer access to popular beach restoredIt didn’t matter that the waves were tiny and the water was toe-numbingly frigid – surfers were stoked early Monday to get back to their beloved surf spot at San Onofre State Beach.
Read more »