MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach leaders are preparing to welcome Spring Break crowds while still cracking down on crime.
Officials say the city will implement curfews, bag checks, expensive parking fees and DUI checkpoints to increase safety measures during one of their busiest months of the year.
Access to the beach is restricted at night and blasting loud music is strictly prohibited.
“This weekend, our residents and visitors did see an enhanced staffing configuration of Miami Beach police officers,” said Christopher Bess, an officer with the Miami Beach Police Department.
The dress rehearsal implementing the new safety measures is for what city officials call “high-impact weekends” for the next two weeks.
In addition to Miami Beach cops, there will be law enforcement from 18 different agencies.
“You can see FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) along the Fifth Street corridor conducting a DUI checkpoint,” said Bess.
The MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways will have police running license plate readers.
Parking garages will be costly, and starting on Thursday, completely closed. Towing rates will also be doubled for anyone who decides to park in a restricted area or go over time.
“The message is very clear: If you’re in our city, we expect you to follow the law and respect the quality of life of our residents,” said Bess.
Last year, Miami Beach experienced back-to-back shootings during spring break, prompting city officials to declare a state of emergency.
The city’s police department made over 400 arrests, seized over 100 firearms, and issued over 7,000 traffic citations during Spring Break in 2023.
The city is no longer shy about saying they want to “break up” with spring break after releasing a new video campaign last Friday, but want people to have fun responsibly.
“I think we should just have fun and be safe,” said Bess.
For more information on Miami Beach’s safety rules and regulations, click here.