The City of Fort Lauderdale held a conference on Wednesday to break down several rules and safety measures for spring breakers. NBC6’s Amanda Plasencia reports
The City of Fort Lauderdale held a conference on Wednesday to break down several rules and safety measures for Spring Breakers.
In the press conference, law enforcement praised the city's record for low crime during Spring Break.
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WATCH HERE"We had very, very few arrests last year, yet we had one of the highest Spring Break populations ever in our history in recent history," said Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Bill Schultz. "They followed our directions out here on A1A. You'll see we put up some barricades to direct people to crosswalks. They listened and they did it, and they kept themselves safe. That's what I look forward to again this year."
"Fort Lauderdale is known for its beautiful beaches and hotels and all that we have to offer but the common goal is that we want everybody to go home back to their schools, back to their cities, back to their parents the same exact way that they came to visit our city," said Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan. "That's intact with no bruises, no handcuffs and no city ordinance violations."
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As part of the safety measures, certain items will not be allowed in high-traffic areas, including alcohol coolers, tents and tables.
There will be a beach sweep and clean up every day starting at 5:30 a.m.
Spring Breaks are expected to see triple the amount of usual police presence in Fort Lauderdale, which includes mounted officers.
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In anticipation of Spring Break, some restaurants and night spots have already gotten ahead of the crowds like The Wharf in Fort Lauderdale.
In March, the outdoor bar will put some rules in place.
Some of those rules include people with out-of-state licenses who must be 23 years old or older to get into the bar.
The owner said he wants to preserve the bar and not let college kids invade the space of locals who go on a regular basis.
"It allows us to keep the quality of the clientele at the same level it has been consistently year-round, and what that does is it really preserves our experience," he said.
And it's not just restaurants and bars that putting rules in place.
These measures will be in effect until April 12.
