Less-than-optimal weather and high gas prices may have prevented many from venturing to the coast this Memorial Day weekend, but that didn’t stop the more than 630,000 who did flock to San Diego’s beaches, according to police officials.
To crack down on potential problems, the San Diego Police Department’s Northern Division dedicated an extra seven officers and a sergeant to patrolling Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, Mission Bay and La Jolla Shores, according to Northern Division Capt. Boyd Long.
The extra numbers augmented a contingent of nearly 35 officers and sergeants who policed the beaches and Mission Bay on all-terrain vehicles, on foot, on horseback, on boats and riding in patrol vehicles, Long said.
Officers made 44 misdemeanor arrests, three felony arrests, 11 DUI arrests, and 23 arrests for being drunk in public, Long said.
Police also issued 287 misdemeanor citations, six for minor in possession of alcohol and 305 parking citations, he said.
Although many arrests were made, Long said the weekend went without a significant incident of violence.
“If we could go through the whole weekend and not make any arrests at all and not have any incidents, that would be optimal,” Long said. “But I’m also a realist and I know that’s not going to be the case.”
The police department also set up a DUI checkpoint at 2700 Garnet Avenue.
More than 800 vehicles passed through the checkpoint, leading to nine DUI alcohol arrests and one DUI drug arrest, he said.
Long said the relatively low numbers of DUI arrests is a sign that people are starting to get the message about the serious consequences of drunken driving.
“Its too bad we had to arrest 11 people,” he said. “I wish it could have been none, but we need to continue to work toward educating the public that drinking and driving does hurt people.”