Fort Lauderdale police and city officials announced that they are cracking down on crime in the Himmarshee Entertainment District to push back on a recent uptick in violence and underage drinking in the area.<\/p>\n
Police said the department will step up enforcement and work closely with the Florida Highway Patrol and the the department of Alcohol, Beverage and Tobacco in the district<\/a> along Las Olas Boulevard, near Southwest Second Avenue and Southwest Second Street. The new enforcement efforts include a surge in police presence during peak nighttime hours, targeted enforcement operations and more light towers, and metal barricades.<\/p>\n The district is known for its nightlife, with numerous bars and restaurants open late, drawing crowds \u2014 and, more recently, crime.<\/p>\n \u201cHimmarshee is open for business, but it is not and never will be open for lawlessness,\u201d Fort Lauderdale Police Chief William Schultz said as he issued a stern warning about violence during a news conference Tuesday morning. He said he wants to make the district safer for residents and visitors.<\/p>\n Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Chief Stephen Gollan said underage drinking in the district has led to more emergency calls in the entertainment district between midnight and 4 a.m., mostly \u201cpass-outs\u201d in people between 18 and 24 years old.<\/p>\n Schultz said high school students from throughout Broward County are coming to the district. Police plan to send notices to school district administrators and bar owners, asking for their cooperation in addressing safety concerns. Schultz said the increased enforcement includes closer police monitoring of how carefully nightclubs check customers\u2019 identification to reduce underage drinking.<\/p>\n Recent incidents involving gunfire and fights raised the concerns about violence in the district that led to Tuesday\u2019s announcement of increased safety measures.<\/p>\n In September, police had been trying to break up a fight<\/a> when shots rang out. Police recovered a firearm, and although no victim was identified at the scene, a man later arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound. In July,\u00a0 a shooting in a parking garage<\/a> left a 43-year-old man wounded. A street fight broke out on Himmarshee Street outside the Dicey Riley\u2019s Irish Pub about 3 a.m. on March 18, during the height of Spring Break. The New York Post had posted a video<\/a> with the headline \u201cSpring Breaker beaten in brawl outside Fort Lauderdale bar.\u201d<\/p>\n And in December 2025, five people were shot and transported to an area hospital after gunfire outside Dicey Riley\u2019s.<\/p>\n