Month: March 2017

Public Service Announcement

March 22, 2017

Hearing Impaired Communications Cards for Law Enforcement Officers​​ 

The Flagler Beach Police Department​​ has partnered with​​ Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida​​ and the​​ Daytona Beach​​ Police Department​​ on an initiative to provide our municipal Law Enforcement Officers with a quick reference tool to assist in communicating with citizens who are either deaf or hearing impaired.

Effective Wednesday, March 22, 2017 each sworn Officer of the​​ Flagler Beach Police Department will be equipped with a “Deaf Visor Card” (copy attached). ​​ The purpose of the card is to improve communication with individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. ​​ Officers will have the new cards over the “Visors” of their​​ patrol vehicle for easy access.​​ 

According to Flagler Beach Police Chief Matt Doughney, the cards were made available through​​ Easterseals of Northeast Central Florida​​ and the​​ Daytona Beach Police Department. ​​ ​​ “The success of most personal interactions comes down to the ability for all parties involved to communicate effectively. ​​ If these cards help our Officers to communicate with members of the public who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, then we’ve broken down a barrier that otherwise could lead to confusion​​ and frustration.”

If there are any questions regarding the “Deaf Visor Cards”, please feel free to contact Chief Doughney at (386) 517-2020. ​​ 

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

March 7, 2017

“Flagler County Schools’ Spring Break 2017”

Spring Break for our local Flagler County School students begins Monday, March 13, and runs through Friday, March 17, 2017, coinciding with Bike​​ Week. ​​ The Flagler Beach Police Department anticipates heavier than usual crowds at our Beach, on our roadways, and at our businesses during this busy week.

In an effort to provide a safe environment during the event for our residents and visitors, the​​ Flagler Beach Police Department has requested, and will be receiving, additional Law Enforcement resources from the following agencies:

• Flagler County Sheriff’s Office​​ 

• State Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco

According to Chief Matt Doughney, “the influx of vehicular and pedestrian traffic for these two (2) overlapping events will provide unique challenges for our Department. ​​ Sheriff Staly has graciously provided additional Deputies to assist our Officers throughout this year’s event. ​​ The additional staffing of Deputies partnering with our Officers is an example of teamwork and inter-agency cooperation at its finest.”

The goal for the additional Law Enforcement is to provide a safe environment for residents, visitors and business owners alike. ​​​​ Flagler Beach encourages visitors to enjoy all the City has to offer, but asks that our City Ordinances and State Laws are respected, and that you clean up after yourselves. ​​ Doughney continued, “If your goal for Spring Break is to come to our City and misbehave, you will not be welcome. ​​ Law Enforcement Officers will be on hand to address your behavior accordingly.”

​​ 

“Agents from our State’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco did an absolutely outstanding job during last year’s 4th​​ of July celebration,” noted Chief Doughney. ​​ “Inviting State Agents back for Spring Break to address underage drinking on the Beach provides yet another layer of Law Enforcement”.

Officers and Deputies will focus their combined efforts on the expeditious movement of​​ traffic in and around the core downtown area, specifically State Routes 100 and A1A. ​​ 

In addition to traffic management throughout the week, Law Enforcement Officers will be patrolling the downtown area on ATV’s, bicycles, motorcycles and on foot patrol.​​ ​​ Law Enforcement’s areas of concern for the event are underage drinking, littering, illegal parking, and physical disturbances that tend to be caused by and/or associated with underage drinking or narcotics usage. ​​ 

If you have any questions regarding this year’s Spring Break event, please feel free to contact Chief Doughney at (386) 517-2020.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT

March​​ 2, 2017

“76th​​ Annual​​ Bike Week​​ &​​ Motorcycle Safety”

Bike Week​​ begins​​ Friday, March​​ 10th​​ and runs​​ through​​ Sunday, March​​ 19th.​​ 

The Flagler Beach Police Department will be enforcing​​ both​​ hazardous moving​​ violations​​ and non-moving violations. ​​ Hazardous moving violations include,​​ but​​ are​​ not limited to:

• Careless Driving,​​ 

• Aggressive Careless Driving,​​ 

• Reckless Driving,

• Excessive Speed,

• Racing on a highway (drag racing)​​ and,

• Driving Under the Influence (DUI).

The​​ following State Statutes, paraphrased below,​​ are in effect in the State of Florida:

316.2095 - Footrests, handholds, and handlebars:

• Footrests​​ must be provided for a passenger on a motorcycle, unless it is equipped with a sidecar or enclosed cab.​​ 

• Handlebars​​ or​​ handgrips​​ cannot be​​ higher than the top of the shoulders of the person operating the motorcycle while properly seated upon the motorcycle.

316.211​​ -​​ Equipment for motorcycles:

• An​​ eye​​ protective device​​ must be worn by the operator of the motorcycle. ​​ 

316.294 –​​ Mirrors:​​ 

• Every​​ vehicle​​ and​​ motorcycle, operated singly or when towing any other vehicle,​​ must have a rear view mirror that allows the driver a rear view of the highway for a minimum distance of 200 feet.​​ 

316.304 - Wearing of headsets:

• No​​ motorcycle operator can​​ wear a headset, headphone, or other listening device. ​​ The exception is​​ a hearing aid or instrument for the improvement of defective human hearing.

316.405 Motorcycle headlights to be turned on:

• Headlights​​ must be on at all times while the​​ motorcycle or motor-driven cycle​​ is being driven​​ on public streets or highways.​​ 

The goal for this year’s​​ Bike Week​​ event is the safety of our visitors and residents​​ through​​ compliance with the laws of the State of Florida. ​​ Please remember that reducing your speed, especially​​ after dark,​​ allows for a longer reaction/braking time, and also helps reduce noise. ​​​​ 

Special Note: ​​ The speed limit on SRA1A​​ between South 12th​​ Street and South 18th​​ Street is​​ 25 MPH. ​​ This area of SRA1A was affected by Hurricane Matthew and Officers will be monitoring speeds via radar​​ during​​ Bike Week.

We hope this year’s​​ Bike Week​​ provides our visitors, residents and businesses with many happy memories. ​​ Thank you in advance for helping make this year’s event a safe​​ one​​ for all.

This​​ information is being provided in advance of the event to educate visitors and residents on Florida motorcycle related laws. ​​ If you have​​ any questions​​ regarding​​ Bike​​ Week, please​​ feel free to contact Chief​​ Doughney at (386) 517-2020.