Fort Lauderdale sailed through Spring Break, police say

Fort Lauderdale, a longtime magnet for Spring Breakers, reeled them in again this year.

They flew in, they partied, they went home.

While Fort Lauderdale drew a larger-than-expected Spring Break crowd, police encountered no major problems, according to Police Chief Bill Schultz.

“The crowds have cleared, things have settled down and overall it was a safe and successful Spring Break here in Fort Lauderdale,” the chief said. “Our officers stayed proactive, keeping everyone safe and sound,” Schultz said.

During Spring Break, Fort Lauderdale made 51 arrests — 35 on the beach and 16 downtown. Only 11 of those arrests were Spring Breakers, the chief said in a recently released Instagram post.

“It’s not the Spring Breakers that make up a majority of our arrests,” said Commissioner Steve Glassman, whose district includes the beach. “It’s people from the area who use Spring Break as a shield to make a little bit of trouble. They just use the occasion to act out.”

The non-Spring Breakers who got arrested included 31 residents from the tri-county area and nine out-of-towners not on Spring Break, police say.

Officers with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco also were on scene, making an additional 29 arrests related to underage drinking and confiscating 99 fake IDs.

Police also were busy issuing 1,205 traffic citations for a range of violations, the chief said.

During Spring Break, Glassman said he kept a close eye on things, driving around State Road A1A and the Himmarshee entertainment district.

“I will say our office got no complaints from residents,” he said. “In fact, they had a lot of praise for how police handled things. Everyone thought the crowd was well-behaved. The noise level was not that bad. And the police were out in force.”

Susannah Bryan can be reached at sbryan@sunsentinel.com. Follow me on X @Susannah_Bryan

People visit bars along A1A as the Fort Lauderdale beachfront...

People visit bars along A1A as the Fort Lauderdale beachfront transforms into a neon-lit hub of spring break energy on Saturday, March 21, 2026. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)

Spring Break on Fort Lauderdale beach in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Ravis Ordway challenges people to a pull-up contest on the beach in Fort Lauderdale during Spring Break on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Spring Break on Fort Lauderdale beach in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

The Elbo Room during Spring Break on Fort Lauderdale beach in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Spring Break on Fort Lauderdale beach in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Spring Breakers flock to Fort Lauderdale beach on March 14. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Markus Ballengee visits the Elbo Room during Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Spring Break on Fort Lauderdale beach in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Spring Break vacation is underway on Fort Lauderdale beach on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Emma Costello, left, and Mikayla Brown, of Connecticut, visit the beach during Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

Spring Break on Fort Lauderdale beach in Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, March 14, 2026. (Michele Eve Sandberg/Contributor)

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People visit bars along A1A as the Fort Lauderdale beachfront transforms into a neon-lit hub of spring break energy on Saturday, March 21, 2026. (Scott Luxor/Contributor)

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