Community Safety Tips for Spring Break

Every year between March and April, the Emerald Coast experiences an influx of people as colleges and schools across the U.S. take a week off for spring break.

More people equals increased crime rates as small cities, such as Destin and Panama City Beach, are turned into cities over night. The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, a division of the Department of Justice, has put together several online publications to inform communities how to respond to spring break.

The following publications are available for FREE on the COPS Web site :

• Acquaintance Rape of College Students
• Assaults in and Around Bars
• Crimes Against Tourists
• Cruising
• Disorder at Budget Motels
• Disorderly Youth in Public Places
• Drunk Driving
• Illicit Sexual Activity in Public Places
• Loud Car Stereos
• Rave Parties
• Street Racing
• Student Party Riots
• Underage Drinking

These practical guides provide insight into the factors that contribute to specific types of crime or disorder problems, offer suggestions on how communities can evaluate these problems from a local perspective, and highlight successful approaches that other communities throughout the country have used to address similar problems.

"COPS is pleased to make these publications available to help communities and students experience a safe spring break," said COPS Director Carl Peed. "An influx of tens of thousands of vacationing college students can have a tremendous impact on the communities to which they travel. Many of these communities go from being relatively small towns to cities overnight, and the burden that this poses to the police and citizens can be daunting. COPS resources will help law enforcement, businesses, and community leaders develop successful responses to challenges associated with spring break."

For more information on COPS, go to www.cops.usdoj.gov or click here to go directly to the publications.