HAMPTON, Va. — Addressing public safety concerns at Buckroe Beach in Hampton is taking a new form — with a permanent structure set up for the Shoreline Operations Station. The station is a topic WTKR News 3 has been following since it was created in May.
“I love it here. I’m never leaving, for better or worse," Hampton resident Barry Jones said about Buckroe Beach.
Watch: Checking in on the new Shoreline Operations Station at Buckroe Beach
Jones lives within eyesight of Buckroe Beach. News 3 met him at the beach to talk about his thoughts on the Shoreline Operations Station’s first summer.
“It’s been a marked success," said Jones.
News 3 interviewed him at the beach in May when the station was announced. During that interview, he said he'd seen a variety of public safety issues at the beach and called the station the most positive thing that has happened at the beach in years.
Watch: New station at Buckroe Beach aims to address safety concerns
The station gave him some peace of mind over the summer knowing any issues wouldn’t go unnoticed.
“In the past, I would watch, and others here would watch, as small gangs became big gangs and you could kind of watch as situations escalated," Jones explained.
An escalating situation is what led to the creation of the station.
Watch: 'Pop-up party' with 400 students at Buckroe Beach leads to multiple fights
Back in May, we shared a video of what Hampton’s police chief described as a "pop-up party" that drew hundreds of kids to the beach, resulting in multiple fights.
On September 3, the ribbon was cut to officially open a permanent structure for the station. It had been operating from a tent all summer, staffed by Hampton police and representatives from the city’s Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities.
“Of the more than 2,000 assisted, we’ve engaged [with] more than 1,600 visitors by providing essential information such as upcoming events, directions, and connections to community resources. We have delivered safety guidance to over 250 beachgoers," Hampton Police Department Asst. Chief Jason Price said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Watch: Virginia Beach police chief talks potential curfew amid Oceanfront crime concerns
“This history-making moment reflects how, together, we have answered a community need and worked side by side to make it possible," said Hampton Office of Youth and Young Adult Opportunities Exec. Dir. Latiesha Handie.
As much good as the station may have done, though, Jones said it hasn’t solved every problem. He would like to see the increased police presence at the beach continue.
Price said as of September 3, it was scheduled to last until October. Originally, the increased police presence was scheduled to end September 1.
