SANTA ROSA BEACH — The Florida Sheriff’s Task Force announced the success of Operation Dry Spring on Thursday afternoon in Walton County, where almost 600 minors were arrested for alcohol possession over Spring Break.
Operation Dry Spring, an effort of 28 counties and the Florida Sheriff’s Association, was aimed to prevent underage youths from buying alcohol, tobacco and synthetic drugs during Spring Break.
“It was a great partnership between the Spring Break counties,” Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson said. “Ultimately, this is about saving lives.”
Walton, Okaloosa and Bay counties participated in the operation, which ran from March 16 to April 12.
Law officers monitored stores for the sale of alcohol, tobacco and synthetic drugs to underage buyers.
Bay County had the third-most arrests with 228. Encompassing all of Spring Break, BCSO actually arrested 307 minors in possession of alcohol, tobacco or synthetic drugs.
The 28 counties reported a total of 1,284 arrests for possession of alcohol by minors.
Walton and Okaloosa were the top two counties in arrests for possession of alcohol by minors. Walton reported 580 arrests and Okaloosa reported 266.
Walton County also reported the highest number for minors in possession of marijuana, with 21 arrests. Okaloosa reported seven arrests.
In total, the counties reported doing 2,354 business checks for underage alcohol sales.
Bay County Sheriff’s Maj. Tommy Ford also spoke at the press conference at the Walton courthouse annex. He said undercover drug agents were brought in from several other agencies.
“Obviously, Spring Break 2015 was pretty tough in Bay County,” he said. “Florida sheriffs came together this year to help us in an unprecedented way.”
Ford said his agency called for help from other counties, including Walton, during Spring Break weekends. He noted that practice usually is reserved for natural disasters.
Adkinson and Ford noted that while the arrests often made the sheriff’s offices unpopular, they kept the public safe.
“We do what we do because it’s the right thing to do,” Adkinson added.
News Herald writer Zack McDonald contributed to this report