Spring Break era ends for popular Florida beach town?

Keeping your spring break travel trouble-free

FOX 35's Ryan Elijah speaks with Florida Highway Patrol Trooper Migdalisis Garcia about ways to stay safe and trouble free during spring break.

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. - A well-known Florida spring break hotspot is no longer welcoming the annual influx of college students, according to the town’s chief law enforcement officer.

What they're saying:

On Sunday, Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez announced on social media that the city is officially stepping away from its reputation as a Spring Break destination.

"Panama City Beach can no longer be a Spring Break town. That time is over," Talamantez wrote. "Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges. I’m not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works."

Talamantez said they will be having "serious discussions" in the coming weeks with takeholders and city leadership "about the future of the Spring Break season."

"No plan will fix this overnight, but we have to start somewhere. And we have to start now," the police chier said. "Panama City Beach is a safe, family-focused community. We’ve worked too hard to build that, and I won’t let a group of criminals destroy it," he added.

What is Panama City Beach?

The backstory:

The city has long been a hot spot for college students looking to catch some sun in March and April, but also for the trouble that comes along with thousands of visitors. For several years, the police department has used various strategies to deter spring break crime.

In 2023, police deployed K-9s to combat drug use and leaned on surveillance cameras in an attempt to keep revelers under control.

In 2022, police arrested more than 160 people during a spring break incident when hundreds trashed a Walmart. They seized 75 guns from that case alone. That same year, spring breakers were so raucous police closed two miles of city streets.

STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: