Virginia Beach city leaders and the Virginia Beach Police Department are preparing for the upcoming tourism season.
They want to make sure there’s not a repeat of the violence that occurred during last year’s College Beach Weekend.
NewsChannel 3’s Darragh Copley is live at the Oceanfront with more:
Complete chaos - that's how many Oceanfront business owners described last year's College Beach Weekend.
Thousands of college students stormed the streets from 17th Street to 33rd Street last April, leading to dozens of fights, several shootings, stabbings, and robberies.
As we get closer to spring break, many worry about another College Beach Weekend.
Beach police and city leaders are taking action to address concerns about violence during the upcoming tourist season by holding two public meetings.
One meeting was held Thursday morning; another is scheduled for next Thursday, February 27.
Several business owners had to close early during College Beach Weekend, and many complained about the lack of law enforcement when unruly students caused thousands of dollars in damage.
Officers are discussing their plans to prevent similar incidents, which include increasing patrols during popular dates like the last weekend in April, as well as adding more cameras along Atlantic Avenue.
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