ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – Atlantic Beach is cracking down on camping and sleeping in public spaces.
City commissioners updated the rules to match a new state law from last year, which increases the penalties for sleeping in public.
Now, officers have more power to arrest people who are camping out.
“Our previous ordinance required officers not to arrest someone if there was not a shelter bed available. That requirement is not enforceable. We will offer someone who is camping options for services first to the point where we will take them in a police car to those shelter services,” commissioners said.
If someone refuses to leave, they could end up in jail.
And if it gets to that point, the city will hold onto the person’s stuff, like tents, for 90 days, giving them time to come and claim it.