Panama City Beach Police Say Town Is Done With Spring Break: 'go Somewhere Else'

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A northwest Florida city is declaring that its time as a hotspot for spring breakers has come to an end, saying it "can no longer be a Spring Break town."

Authorities in Panama City Beach, about 100 miles from Tallahassee, said they are calling it quits when it comes to spring break.

"Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges," Panama City Beach Police Department Chief Eusebio Talamantez (J.R.) said in an April 13 statement on Facebook. "I’m not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works."

Talamantez said the city's "law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community."

"It’s unfair to continue placing that weight on the backs of the men and women who serve and protect this city every day," he added.

Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford, in a statement on Facebook, said over 200 officers from the sheriff’s office, Panama City Beach Police Department, local agencies, and our state law enforcement partners were deployed during the busy spring break. The authorities faced "risks head-on to protect our residents, visitors, and businesses," according to the sheriff.

To punish those "who came here to bring trouble" with "guns, bad intentions, and no respect for this city," Talamantez said his officers and team caught several who thought they "could blend in and get away with it," adding many of them ended up in handcuffs and crying in the interview room.

"Some of you fired shots over petty arguments and social media drama," Talamantez said. "When the cuffs went on, the tough act disappeared. Our officers didn’t see hardened criminals. They saw scared kids crying in the interview room. TikTok doesn’t show that part, but our body cameras do."

Echoing Talamantez's comments, Ford said despite efforts by authorities to maintain harmony during the season, "spring break still draws some visitors with bad intentions—folks bringing guns, starting fights, or disrupting our community."

While Ford did not explicitly cancel spring break, he said his office is looking forward to working with the city administration, residents, business owners and community leaders to sharpen strategies to deter bad behavior and ensure everyone feels secure.

The police chief said he plans to hold "serious discussions with stakeholders and city leadership," about the future of spring break season, an event, he says, "no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community."

"Panama City Beach is a safe, family-focused community," Talamantez said. "We’ve worked too hard to build that, and I won’t let a group of criminals destroy it."

Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer told Panama City News Herald, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK, that his administration is "fully committed to making Panama City Beach as safe as it can be for the people who live here and those who visit."

"I support our law enforcement and am working with those who care about keeping the beach safe and strong," Tettemer told The News Herald.

Talamantez's statement comes on the heels of a chaotic spring break season on the beach, the News Herald reported. While the season is still winding down, the area has seen shootings and disorderly crowds. Officers reportedly seized firearms and illegal drugs at the gatherings.

On the flip side, in Talamantez's statement, he thanked those "who did things the right way," and appreciated "future doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers, and leaders who came here for a break, made memories, enjoyed the beach, and showed respect."

"To the good visitors, you’ll always be welcome. To the idiots, go somewhere else," Talamantez said.

Last year, Miami Beach, another spring break hotspot, had said they were "breaking up" with spring break following a chaotic season.

"We're breaking up with spring break," the Miami Beach website had said. "Expect curfews, security searches and bag checks at beach access points, early beach entrance closures, DUI checkpoints, bumper-to-bumper traffic, road closures and arrests for drug possession and violence."

This year, the city released a reality television-style scripted video to warn visitors of the strict rules in place.

Contributing: Dylan Gentile, Panama City News Herald / Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.