By-Line: Joseph Bober, Public Information Office, FCSO
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office and our law enforcement partners will increase enforcement throughout the Labor Day weekend to ensure that Flagler County residents can celebrate their hard work safely. These enforcement efforts, which include increased patrols along county roadways, waterways, beaches, and other high-traffic areas, will begin on Friday and continue through the holiday weekend.
With an anticipated increase in traffic on roadways across the county, keeping motorists and pedestrians safe is a priority. To accomplish this, the FCSO Traffic Enforcement Unit will partner with the Florida Highway Patrol, the Flagler Beach Police Department, and the Bunnell Police Department to conduct traffic details focusing on high-crash locations and targeting speeding and aggressive driving.
In addition, FCSO will be participating in the international Crash Awareness Reduction Effort, which aims to increase law enforcement presence on interstates and highways across the United States and Canada during high-crash periods, which will run from August 29 to September 1. During this campaign, FCSO deputies will focus on reducing impaired driving, serious crashes, and aggressive driving along busy roadways, including Interstate 95 and U.S. Highway 1. This enforcement effort coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, searching for and arresting impaired drivers. Extra patrol deputies and the agency’s DUI taxi will be utilized to conduct DUI enforcement.
The Sheriff’s Office is also anticipating increased activity on county waterways, including the Intracoastal Waterway and canals throughout Palm Coast. To keep boaters safe, the FCSO Marine Unit will partner with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to monitor the waters for unsafe boating practices and impaired boaters.
Finally, with many residents expected to take advantage of the warm weather, FCSO will increase patrols along beaches, parks, and parking lots. Sheriff Rick Staly encourages everyone to do their part to keep from becoming easy targets for criminals. This includes remembering to lock car doors, never leaving valuables unattended or visible in the car, and staying aware of your surroundings.
“Labor Day is an opportunity to celebrate the hard-working spirit that makes our country great, and our deputies will be hard at work so that everyone can enjoy their holiday safely,” said Sheriff Staly. “As we prepare for the long weekend, my message to the community is simple: If you break the law by causing trouble, driving or boating drunk, or stealing, you’ll be laboring to find someone to bail you out of the Green Roof Inn this weekend.”
The FCSO Operations Center in Bunnell, the District 2 Office in Palm Coast, and visitation at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility will be closed on Labor Day and will reopen on Tuesday. The FCSO Communications Center remains open 365 days a year, and residents should call 911 for emergencies or 386-313-4911 for non-emergencies.
