Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer and the San Diego Police Department is expecting a lot of people at city beaches. KPBS reporter Katie Orr has details on how the police are planning to handle the holiday weekend.
Police Captain Shelley Zimmerman says about 500,000 people are expected to descend on area beaches to celebrate the arrival of summer. This is the second year alcohol has been banned at city beaches. Zimmerman says police have issued several citations but says the ban has had a positive effect.
“The vast majority of the people have followed the rules and regulations. And the comments that we’re hearing from people who are coming out there, not just neighbors, but tourists, and we’ve seen ourselves, is that it’s a very family friendly environment and people are just out there having a great time,” she says.
Zimmerman says officers will be patrolling the beaches on foot, horses and bikes among other things. She says there are more than 400 signs listing the rules beach goers must follow. The minimum penalty for violating the alcohol ban is $250.
Katie Orr, KPBS News
