JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – The Jacksonville Beach Police Department released on Thursday a six-page report detailing the key events, strategies and results of this year’s spring surge period.
Chief of Police Gene Paul Smith shared the results of the Spring Surge 2025 After Action Report, in which he announced there were no violent incidents during this period. He also said officers prevented two unpermitted events from happening and one spontaneous event from “devolving into chaos.”
Click here to read the full report.
Smith pointed out that the St. Patrick’s Day shootings in 2024 were a “turning point” for his department and the city. For that reason, this year the police department launched a revamped strategy to maintain safety and control in the city’s busiest months.
According to the report, the police department ramped up recruitment and brought in over a dozen seasoned officers, while adding four new sworn positions.
“This is a first for me, and I am in awe of what this city and this department have accomplished,” Smith wrote in the report.
Police said the increased enforcement defused spontaneous gatherings like “Senior Skip Day” before tensions could rise, and strong visibility deterred illegal activity at events like “Drunk Day at Beach 3,” where four illegal firearms were recovered with no major disruptions.
Police also said the HBCU Weekend was canceled in advance, as organizers chose to align with city policy and cancel the beach portion of their event, because it wasn’t properly permitted.
Police also credited the broader community, including citizens, business owners, and elected officials for contributing to what they’re calling one of the most successful surge operations to date.