Alright, spring breakers, listen up—Volusia County isn’t playing games this year. Sheriff Mike Chitwood has had enough of the teenage mayhem that turned President’s Day into a scene straight out of “Project X”, and he’s making one thing crystal clear: Break the law, and you “will” be arrested. No warnings. No second chances. No “I’m just a kid” excuses.
Now, let’s talk about what went down on Monday. Hundreds of teenagers swarmed the beaches, and by the end of the day, two Orlando teens had already been hauled off in cuffs—one for carrying a real gun, and the other for shooting a BB gun at the famous Flagler Avenue roosters. (Yes, really.) And that was just the tip of the iceberg. Dozens of other kids racked up citations for various offenses, giving local law enforcement a sneak peek of the chaos that spring break might bring.
Sheriff Chitwood isn’t waiting around to see things spiral out of control. He’s dropping the hammer “now”, warning parents across Florida and beyond: “If we arrest your child, I don’t care if you’re in Tampa, in Naples, or in Georgia. You “will” have to come pick them up.” Translation? If your kid is dreaming of a spring break full of reckless partying, you might want to reconsider that permission slip.
And let’s not forget last year. Over 50 arrests. More than 200 citations. One particularly wild moment caught on bodycam showed a teen waving a gun in the middle of a crowded beach.
Now, with six Central Florida counties all having spring break at the same time this year, Chitwood expects those numbers to double. That’s right—double.
So what’s on the sheriff’s list of “do nots”? Pretty much everything: Open containers. Underage drinking. Illegally modified trucks. Drugs—selling or using. Assaults. Stealing from stores. Skipping out on restaurant tabs. If it’s illegal, don’t even “think” about it. And if you do? Expect a fast pass to the county jail.
And in case you thought he was sugarcoating things, Chitwood made his stance crystal clear: “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.” Brutal? Maybe. But after years of dealing with spring break madness, can you blame him?
To reinforce the crackdown, local police departments are backing up beach patrols, and New Smyrna Beach has put a juvenile curfew in place.
Meanwhile, hotels and AirBnBs have been warned to keep an eye on their teenage guests—because if there aren’t adults around, it’s going to be a “very” short vacation.
The bottom line? If you’re heading to Volusia County for spring break, you better be on your best behavior. Because this year, there’s no “get out of jail free” card—only a one-way ticket to lockup.
