The Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD) will increase its physical presence throughout the city this Memorial Day weekend in anticipation of larger than normal crowds attending various events in Daytona Beach.
Besides all the people who usually come to the World’s Most Famous Beach on the unofficial start of summer, Daytona Beach will also have the following large events this holiday weekend:
- Heroes Honor Festival (concert at Daytona International Speedway)
- High School graduations at the Ocean Center
- Orlando Invades Daytona (not sanctioned by the City of Daytona Beach)
- Daytona Beach Bandshell Summer Concert & Fireworks Series
In anticipation of the expected increase in foot traffic and vehicular traffic, all available DBPD officers have been mandated to work this Memorial Day weekend, according to Police Chief Jakari Young.
"We are aware of these events and preparations have been made on our end to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible,” Young added. “We ask our residents and visitors to be patient as we ensure traffic and pedestrian flow, especially in the core tourist zones.”
Those zones are along Atlantic Avenue (State Road A1A) between U.S. 92/International Speedway Boulevard (ISB) and Seabreeze/Oakridge boulevards as well as along ISB near Daytona International Speedway.
Because of the crowds and the extra police presence, parking will be more limited than normal in some areas this Memorial Day weekend. That includes the parking lots in or near Breakers Park, the Daytona Beach Pier and the others that are within the core tourist zones.
The drawbridge on Main Street will not be available to vehicle traffic as normal. It will be reserved for those who live or work on beachside or those going to the Ocean Center for graduation ceremonies.
Those who wish to use the Main Street Bridge should have a driver’s license, graduation tickets or employee identification to show our officers at the checkpoint on the western side of the bridge.
We encourage anyone else who wants to enter beachside this holiday weekend to use any of the other three bridges spanning the Halifax River. Those are at ISB, Seabreeze/Oakridge boulevards and Silver Beach/Orange avenues. Those high-rise bridges will be operating as normal.
DBPD has requested mutual aid from area law enforcement agencies this Memorial Day weekend, which includes officers or deputies from each agency working the streets alongside DBPD’s patrol units. Multiple agencies have agreed to assist DBPD this holiday weekend.