VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – After chaos erupted on the beach on President’s Day with hundreds of teenagers, Sheriff Mike Chitwood put out a warning ahead of spring break: Break a law and you’ll be arrested.
“Parents, please don’t let Sheriff Chitwood raise your kid, because we are not going to tolerate what we already saw,” he said about Monday’s crowd.
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On Monday, two teens from Orlando were arrested – one for having a real gun and the other for shooting a BB gun at the Flagler Avenue roosters in New Smyrna Beach. The sheriff said dozens of teens were issued citations for breaking laws, too.
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“If we arrest your child, I don’t care if you’re in Tampa, in Naples, or in Georgia. You, by law, are required to come and pick them up. So, make sure before your little cherub leaves for spring break that you let them know if they get arrested, they will be held till you pick them up.”
Last year over spring break, the sheriff’s office made 52 arrests and wrote over 200 citations. One of those arrests was caught on deputy body camera video last year showing a teen pulling out a gun and waving it on the crowded beach.
The sheriff said with six Central Florida counties this year holding spring break at the same time, they’re expecting that number of arrests and citations to potentially double.
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“You got open container, underage drinking, squat trucks, bringing weapons, selling dope, using dope, committing assaults, you name it. Going into our stores, stealing stuff, dining and dashing. Whatever you think you’re going to come here and do – ain’t going to happen. Every sheriff’s office employee will be working,” he said.
The sheriff said all police departments in the county will also have staff backing up the beach.
“If they think we’re playing here, we’re not. We really don’t want you here, to be honest with you. Nobody wants you here. They don’t bring any financial benefit here. All they do is bring chaos,” he said. “If you look at the big picture and look at who we’re arresting, we’re not arresting Volusia County kids for the most part. We’re arresting kids that are coming in from other counties and think it’s okay to bring their asinine shenanigans here to do their thing.”
New Smyrna Beach police have also enacted a juvenile curfew and hotel and AirBnB owners have been told to ensure adults are with any teenagers.
“We’re telling you up front there are no breaks. There are no warnings. Do not pass go. You’re going to our facility. You’re getting locked up. If you’re a juvenile and you’re coming to get him. If you’re an adult, you’re going out to the county jail,” Sheriff Chitwood said.
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