VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The excitement of spring break has settled down along Central Florida’s coast as most students return to school.
However, Volusia County law enforcement reports a significant increase in citations this year compared to last.
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During the peak of spring break last week, there were 191 arrests in Volusia County made by deputies but Sheriff Mike Chitwood noted that the atmosphere felt calmer this year.
“You had an increase in patrol and visibility from everybody,” Sheriff Chitwood said.
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Some of the major incidents included an e-bike rider hitting a woman, drug-related offenses, reckless driving, and grand theft auto. The sheriff’s office conducted 718 traffic stops, with one notable stop involving a 16-year-old driving 114 miles per hour.
Last year during the peak week of Spring Break, the sheriff’s office wrote 216 citations.
Out of the 191 arrests made by deputies, 26 were juveniles. The breakdown of juvenile arrests included 11 from Seminole County, eight from Orange County, four from Lake County, two from Volusia, and one from Alachua. Last year, 26 juveniles were also arrested by the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Chitwood said Flagler Avenue and New Smyrna Beach became the focal points for law enforcement during spring break. He believes the increased police presence contributed to the calmer behavior of the teens in the crowd this year compared to previous years.
He said now he is shifting focus back to Daytona Beach and tackling unsanctioned events. Sheriff Chitwood emphasized the need to work with Daytona Beach officials to target pop-up promoters who advertise events on social media.
In response to two unsanctioned events, New Smyrna Beach police established a special event zone to increase penalties for rule-breakers. One of these events in Daytona Beach resulted in two people being shot.
“This is something we need to work on—going after these promoters that think they can just walk in and advertise on the internet,” Sheriff Chitwood said.
This week, the beaches are quieter, but out-of-state visitors and college students are starting their vacations. Many have noticed the increased law enforcement presence compared to previous years.
“It’s not too bad. We understand, but at the same time, we’re here to have a good time. Let us do our thing as long as we’re respectful,” said college student Austin Weinzero.
