RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Riviera Beach police have stepped up their patrols on Singer Island this holiday weekend.
Crime has impacted the Ocean Mall, popular with tourists, during past holiday weekends, but police hope to keep this July Fourth crime free.
Riviera Beach Police Maj. Travis Walker heads up the implementation of patrols on Singer Island this July Fourth weekend.
"Around this time of the year, we have a lot of tourists," Walker as he took WPTV on a ride-along, patrolling the Ocean Mall where hundreds of tourists shop and dine in one of five restaurants.
He wants to reassure business owners and tourists they'll be safe.
"Typically, during our holiday weekends, we create an operational plan where we pretty much stack and fill the Ocean Mall area with a surplus of officers," Walker said.
So, what are he and other officers looking for as potential trouble signs?
"Anything that would stick out," the 21-year veteran of the Riviera Beach Police Department said. "Some of our most prominent gang guys, we're familiar with them. Most of our officers are familiar with them by face."
Riviera Beach police are flooding the zone at the Ocean Mall this holiday long weekend after a Memorial Day shooting.
One man was shot in the arm in front of a store, but Walker said the intense police presence that day may have prevented other shootings.
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In unrelated incidents that day, police arrested two others at the mall who he said were illegally carrying handguns.
This holiday weekend, the only reported crime in a tourist area of Riviera Beach happened Friday night when a robber yanked a gold chain off of a victim's neck.
At the Ocean Mall, there have been no reported crimes.
"So far this holiday weekend, everything has been smooth," Walker said. "We're ready and prepared."
Tourists visiting the Ocean Mall and the nearby beaches seem to be taking notice.
"As we were crossing, as a matter of fact, I noticed there was a policeman coming through," Sandra Martinez of San Antonio, Texas, said. "So I feel safe."
"I've only been here about 15 minutes," added Al Allred of Savannah, Georgia. "I've already seen two (officers) pass through. There's one parked right down there."
Are crooks getting the message not to bring trouble to Singer Island's retail and dining district on holiday weekends?
"I would think so," Walker said. "Because if they come out, they're going to see several police cars."
