According to the town’s best law enforcement officers, the popular Florida spring break destination hosts a horde of college students each year.
“Panama City Beach is no longer a spring break town,” Panama City police chief Jr Talamantez said on the department’s Facebook page on Sunday. “The moment is over. Every year we try to manage it. Each year we bring more challenges. We cannot put the safety of our city at risk.
Over the next few weeks, Talamantes said police will have “serious discussions” with stakeholders in the role of city leaders “about the future of spring break season.”
On March 12, 2025, I was a university student on spring break in Panama City Beach, Florida. (Kat Ramirez from Fox News Digital)
After the passport was seized, our university students arrested the fight abroad to get home: “Nothing wrong.”
“And let me be clear: our law enforcement officers should not be expected to be responsible for the burden of events that no longer align with the values and vision of this community,” he said. “It’s unfair to keep that weight on the backs of men and women who serve and protect this city every day.”
In the post, Talamantes thanked the people who visited the town and thanked him for not causing any trouble.
“You are grateful to future doctors, nurses, engineers, teachers and leaders who have come here for breaks,” he said. “You made memories, enjoyed the beach, and showed respect. Most of you went home without any problems. That’s exactly what that should be.”
College students will walk around Panama City Beach during Spring Break in Florida on March 11, 2025. (Kat Ramirez from Fox News Digital)
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But he had harsh words for the troublemaker.
“If you don’t have guns, bad intentions and respect for this city, we saw you. You thought you could blend in with it and get away,” he said. “You were wrong. Our officers were ready and many of you were handcuffed.
“Some of you fired shots around small debates and social media dramas, and as the cuffs continued, tough acts disappeared. Our officers didn’t see the hardened criminals. They saw scary kids in the interview room.
The city has long been a hotspot for college students trying to catch the sun in March and April, but also due to the troubles associated with thousands of visitors.
Tourists flock to the public beach in Panama City Beach, Florida. (Nathan Cobb/The News Herald/USA Today Network)
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For several years, police departments have used a variety of strategies to stop crime during spring break.
In 2023, police continued to manage revelations by relying on surveillance cameras to deploy K-9s and combat drug use.
In 2022, police arrested more than 160 people in a spring break incident in which hundreds of people destroyed Walmart. They seized 75 guns from that case alone.
“The crowds here this weekend have no words to explain how they behaved themselves, how they implemented themselves, and the amount of laws they broke,” Tamantes said at the time.
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That same year, the Spring Breaker was a very loud police closed two miles of streets.
Fox News Digital has contacted the Panama City Beach Police Department.
