Lee County Sheriff’s Office announces increased presence on Fort Myers Beach

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office announced today an increased presence was being placed on patrolling Fort Myers Beach due to planned gatherings circulating on social media.

The high-profile announcement was made on social media with a large-scale Facebook production targeting Fort Myers Beach, which coincided with the last day of classes at Lee County Public Schools for the school year.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page today was full of video and photos showing officers pulling over vehicles and increasing their presence along the beach.

On one post, the department said it would be watching for speeding, texting and driving, reckless driving and illegal window tint. One video showed an officer emptying a vehicle of a carton of an alcoholic drink and pouring the contents of one of the cans onto the road. The video featured K-9 patrol units walking around Times Square, along with video of officers on the beach in patrol vehicles and watching stations on the beach as the Facebook page plays blaring music.

In another photo posted on the department’s Facebook page, a large group of more than a dozen deputies are lined up along the beach not far from the Beach Bar, with a message posted saying “Our deputies are out in force on Fort Myers Beach today with one mission: keeping residents and visitors safe while they enjoy our beautiful beaches.”

In a statement from the Lee County Sheriff’s office, spokesperson Julie Sin also referenced a recent beach gathering in Clearwater, where there was a shooting over the weekend. “Recent events in Clearwater serve as a reminder that situations can escalate when large crowds gather,” Sin said. Sin said Lee County has not experienced any serious incidents related to such gatherings.

Sin said there were no specific threats, but that the Lee County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of “information regarding planned gatherings (that) was circulating on social media.”

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office “has been made aware of planned gatherings and potential takeovers at local beaches. In response, we have increased our presence and are sending a clear message: Take over and find out,” Sin said.

In the Facebook music video produced by the office, a deputy reiterated that message. “We’ve seen what’s been going on in other Florida beaches,” a deputy tells the camera. “It’s simple here. Take over and find out.”

“Deputies will maintain a highly visible presence at our beaches and surrounding areas. Enforcement efforts will focus on underage drinking, alcohol violations, disorderly conduct, and traffic safety. Our goal is to ensure residents and visitors can safely enjoy our beaches,” Sin said.

The Town of Fort Myers Beach also recently passed a ban on smoking at town beaches, following Lee County’s passage of a ban on smoking last year on town beaches. That could potentially find beachgoers in added trouble.

Fort Myers Beach Manager Will McKannay said he was thankful to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance to the town the previous Memorial Day weekend as well as “throughout this week and even throughout this afternoon being the last day of school. It was a half-day today and we did expect a possible influx onto the island. I will say the Lee County Sheriff’s Office has gone above and beyond, even beyond what we normally ask them as far as services. In many cases they have done so just as good partners and not asking anything extra from the town.”

Spokespersons for the Lee County Sheriff’s Office did not state how long the expanded presence would last on the beach.