DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Daytona Beach officials are taking steps to regain control of Spring Break crowds after a chaotic weekend along the city’s coastline.
The city is set to enter a state of emergency on Friday, a move leaders say is aimed at preventing another weekend of disorder. As part of the emergency order, an 8 p.m. curfew for anyone under 18 has been approved for seven days.
Already, part of the city is under a special event zone that would allow law enforcement to double fines or make arrests for certain violations.
The crackdown follows a weekend in which large crowds overwhelmed parts of the city, raising concerns about public safety and drawing criticism toward Police Chief Jakari Young.
Channel 9 asked Chief Young if the agency was aware of the beach event before it happened, he said they were monitoring it. When asked if the agency thought thousands of people would show up, Young said he wouldn’t comment. The Chief declined to answer any other follow up questions.
In the commission meeting. Young said officers were heavily strained and outnumbered by the size of the crowds. He said that even if every sworn officer had been working, the department still would have been outnumbered. The chief also noted that many officers were already exhausted after completing a 10-day mandated work period during Bike Week before the spring break crowds arrived.
Chief Young repeatedly told commissioners the city should make one message very clear: “Daytona Beach should no longer position itself as a Spring Break destination,” Young said. “If we continue on the path that we’re on, they’re going to continue to show up and it’s different than when we were teens.”
For now, the curfew is the only measure formally approved under the seven-day state of emergency, but the Chief proposed other regulations they can take during “high impact periods” that other Spring Break destinations like Panama City Beach have already put in place.
Young proposed no minors in bars or clubs after 10 p.m., strict ID checks and fines up to $500 for parents if their kids violate curfew. He also pitched setting a limit to one large event during high-impact periods and banning vacation rentals for anyone under the age of 21.
Commissioners are waiting on the city attorney and community feedback before voting on the Chief’s other proposed regulations.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
