PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Law enforcement agencies across Bay County are preparing for the spring break high-impact period set to begin this Saturday.
Ordinances will be in place from March 28 until April 11. The measures include curfews, beach closures, and a ban on alcohol on the beaches.
“It helps us to basically stop pop-up parties. So it just gives us a little bit more teeth for something like that,” said Captain Stephen Jencks of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office.
Law enforcement plans to issue warnings first before making arrests.
“The plan for us is to give warnings first, and then if you continue to be a problem throughout the night, then we have the ability to arrest you,” Jencks said.
Parking violations will carry double fines during the enforcement period. Vehicles towed for illegal parking can be held for 72 hours.
“It’s a discretionary tool. If it’s a regular person, regular citizen, you do not have to worry about double fines, you do not have to worry about us towing your vehicle,” Jencks said.
DUI enforcement will remain strict.
“If you are driving drunk, you will get arrested,” Jencks said.
Deputies will also watch for illegally tinted windows and squatted trucks above the height limit.
“And so it’s dangerous for you, it’s dangerous for the person in front of you, and so we wanna make sure that people are driving around in a safe vehicle and so they are watching out for everybody,” Jencks said.
Panama City Beach Police Chief Talamantez posted a message on Facebook Thursday stating the enforcement approach is permanent.
“And for anyone who thinks this is temporary, it is not. This is the direction we are going, and we are not turning back,” the post said. “This is not about a couple of weekends. This is about setting a standard and protecting what makes this community worth being a part of.”
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