Tampa police establish a special event zone downtown to stop teen takeovers
TAMPA, Fla. - Tampa police are stepping up security in downtown Tampa ahead of the weekend, in an effort to shut down planned teen takeovers.
On Friday, the Tampa Police Department said the downtown area would be a designated "special event zone".
Special Tampa Crackdown
What we know:
Police are designating the area as a "special event zone" in response to planned teen takeovers.
Under Florida law, these zones apply to unpermitted, temporary gatherings of 50 or more people that are promoted on social media and significantly disrupt traffic.
The zone includes the roadway and adjacent parking lots or parking structures.
Police say traffic fines in these zones are doubled, and officers can impound involved vehicles for 72 hours.
The Tampa Police Chief put out a video on social media acknowledging the security changes on Friday.
"If you choose to participate in an unsanctioned gathering, a street takeover, or a large crowd event that creates unsafe conditions, damaged property, or blocks roadways, or violates the law, you will be held accountable," Chief Lee Bercaw said.
Police say the special event zone will be in effect for 48 hours due to additional planned takeovers.
A massive, unpermitted crowd of young people disrupts traffic and packs the shoreline at Clearwater Beach, prompting law enforcement responses to manage the unpermitted gathering.
Teen takeover arrests
The backstory:
Last month, Tampa police broke up a teen takeover at Curtis Hixon Park, which resulted in 22 arrests.
A few weeks ago, a 17-year-old was shot, and a 16-year-old was arrested during a takeover at Clearwater Beach.
"We had word that there was going to be another event out there," Gualtieri said regarding the beach incident. "There were 60 cops out there on the beach. We set up the no trespass zones. Somebody goes into those zones, it's a third-degree felony."
Tampa Police Department aerial thermal imaging captures a large crowd scattering across a city street during a nighttime law enforcement response to an unpermitted street takeover event.
Enforcement and parental liability
What's next:
Local and state law enforcement are working to track down the people who are organizing and promoting these events online.
Law enforcement officials say that anyone promoting a takeover-style event online could be held responsible.
Agencies around the Tampa Bay region have also promised to hold parents liable possible.
A Tampa Police Department graphic details the strict penalties of the Special Event Zone Law, which aims to curb unpermitted street takeovers and large disruptive gatherings by doubling traffic fines and impounding vehicles for 72 hours.
"Know where your teens are, know who they're with, talk to them about peer pressure, decision-making, and the consequences of getting caught up in the wrong crowd," Bercaw said.
Tampa police said special event zones could be designated in other areas if needed.
Click here to learn more about the special event zone statute.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a public statement from Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw, as well as a press conference with Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri.