Word spreads quickly: National, international media pick up on PCB police chief’s spring break comments
Panama City Beach Police Chief J.R. Talamantez stated the city is no longer a spring break destination.
Talamantez’s comments, initially posted on Facebook, have garnered national and international media attention.
Local opinions are divided, with some concerned about the economic impact on businesses and others prioritizing safety.
A lot of local people and local media are talking about the Panama City Beach police chief’s spring break comments. But some national and international media have chimed in, as well.
“Panama City Beach can no longer be a Spring Break town. That time is over. Every year we try to manage it, and every year it brings more challenges,” Talamantez wrote in an April 13 Facebook post. “I’m not willing to risk the safety of our city to hold onto something that no longer works.”
“Let me be clear, our law enforcement officers should not be expected to shoulder the burden of an event that no longer aligns with the values or vision of this community,” Talamantez added. “It’s unfair to continue placing that weight on the backs of the men and women who serve and protect this city every day.”
These comments have garnered national and international attention from the media. (Links to the stories are included in the online version of this article.)
“Florida spring break town done with college crowds: ‘That time is over,’ reads the headline on a New York Post story published online on April 17.
The Daily Mail wrote about the remarks on April 16 with a story headlined “Gorgeous Florida beach city permanently BANS spring break after latest festivities descended into violence.”
The Times in the United Kingdom wrote about the remarks on April 25 with an article that included this subhead: “Florida’s Panama City Beach, scene of beer-soaked debauchery for decades, has had to contend with drugs, gangs and riots. The locals have had enough.”
“I think that Panama City Beach not being a spring break town would hurt local businesses,” April Bell, a Bay County local, told the News Herald for a story published online April 20. “I’m a condo owner myself, so I think that those of us who own short-term rentals would be severely affected by Panama City Beach not being a spring break town.”
Roy Denton, a Bay County local, said in the article: ”I think it’s a good idea for our town to become a non-spring break destination because these shootings are getting ridiculous.”
