Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced a wide range of resources that the state will be providing to local communities throughout the state as spring break rapidly approaches.
The governor made the announcement as airlines are expecting heavy travel this upcoming spring break season and Florida is always a top destination for tourists, especially after the winter months.
“If you’re coming here in order to enjoy Florida, enjoy it and have a good time, fine,” DeSantis, who was flanked by over a dozen law enforcement officers, said. “If you’re coming for these other reasons, if you’re committing crimes, causing havoc, you are gonna pay the price. And we will hold you accountable because that’s what we do here.”
“I know some people may be coming from other jurisdictions where they can get away with this type of activity. That is not gonna fly in the Sunshine State,” he continued.
He said that his administration reached out to communities all over the state and told them he wanted to provide them with state support at the start of spring break, rather than wait for them to reach out and request resources later.
DeSantis said that many jurisdictions requested his help and that the state will be fulfilling “every single one of those requests.”
“This includes reinforcing communities throughout South Florida with over 60 additional state troopers,” he said. “We’re also gonna have another 60 in other spring break hotspots like Daytona Beach and Panama City Beach. We will also activate 24 quick response troopers in Bay Volusia, Broward, and Dade Counties for immediate response to any incidents requiring additional law enforcement personnel. We’ve also activated through the State Highway Patrol, aviation drones, mobile command vehicles, to assist with traffic management and logistics. And on top of that, FHP troopers will be utilizing Miami Beach Police Mobile automated license plate readers throughout the city. This will help identify subjects with outstanding warrants, or those that are driving stolen vehicles. So those are not folks we want to be at our spring break parties.”
“I appreciate the local leaders that have stepped up and understood that ensuring public safety is really your first task when you’re elected to be in office in a local community,” he concluded. “I mean, that is where the rubber meets the road on law and order. And if you don’t have it locally, then you’re just not gonna have it.”
BREAKING: Gov. Ron DeSantis is deploying law enforcement officers, drones, license readers and more across the state and in Miami to guard against spring break chaos
"That is not gonna fly in the Sunshine State […] We stand by ready to support even more." pic.twitter.com/cP9qWYAZkz
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) March 5, 2024