The Horrifying Reason You May Need To Be Cautious Of Beach Cops In Florida

Millions of vacationers flock to Florida each year, and with good reason: The Sunshine State is appropriately nicknamed with an average of around 230 sunny days annually, and the peninsula is blessed with over 800 miles of gorgeous beaches. Summer paradise comes with risks, however: Studies published in 2024 revealed that the 10 most dangerous beaches in the United States are all located in Florida (per KTAL News). Most of these perils include rip currents, shark attacks, and hurricanes, but there is another more surprising motorized hazard that you need to stay alert to: beach cops on patrol.

With so many visitors enjoying the many miles of coastline, beach patrols work around the clock to perform a wide variety of duties. These range from standard crime prevention to providing the public with information and assistance, and beach patrols link up with emergency services including paramedics and lifeguards to ensure the safety of visitors. Furthermore, they are on hand to help conserve the natural environment, and rescuing injured wildlife, such as sea turtles, pelicans, and manatees, is part of the day-to-day job. Patrolling large stretches of soft sand comes with its own challenges, and beach patrol officers are provided with quad bikes, SUVs, and ATVs to negotiate the shifting terrain. Over recent years, however, a spate of high-profile accidents involving 4-wheel drive vehicles on Florida beaches has tarnished the reputation of beach cops, as some have inadvertently become a danger to the people they serve.

Some law firms have identified government vehicles as an increasing hazard to beachgoers over recent years, cataloguing dozens of incidents where members of the public have been seriously injured or even killed. In 2003, two French sisters were run over by a police officer chasing robbers on Miami Beach (per The Gainesville Sun), one of the city's hottest tourist attractions. Horribly, one died, while the other was left in a critical condition by the incident. The cop involved was placed on administrative leave.

In 2009, a woman at Jacksonville Beach was left with life-threatening injuries after a police officer patroling the shore ran over her (per Jacksonville.com). Eyewitnesses reported that the vehicle made a U-turn and drove over the unfortunate sunbather, who was laying on a flat area of the beach. The victim, a concert pianist and teacher, was left in intensive care with head injuries and a broken pelvis and ribs. She survived the incident and was discharged from hospital weeks later. The rookie officer responsible for the incident was suspended for negligence and docked salary and vacation time.

More recently in 2024, two 18-year-old women were sunbathing on Daytona Beach when they were hit by a patrol car (per CBS News). They were taken to the hospital, where they were treated for multiple injuries including fractures, a lacerated liver, and terrible cuts to the face. The officer responsible was cited for reckless driving and faced further disciplinary action after an investigation into the accident.

Nobody should be discouraged from enjoying Florida's beaches, but it is best to stay alert. Two common factors that often come up in these tragic accidents are visibility and negligence. Certain angles of a police officer's SUV can limit the driver's vision, especially if they are not paying attention or they are distracted by other duties. This can be especially hazardous for sunbathers lying prone on the sand, and in several cases, the officer involved was unaware they had run over someone until it was too late. To make matters worse, victims may also be oblivious to the danger if an officer fails to use a siren, or beachgoers don't see or hear the vehicle approaching — in 2020, a man was struck while listening to music on his phone (per Tampa Bay Times).

Such incidents are rare overall given the sheer amount of people coming to experience Florida's best beaches. For the most part, beach patrol officers perform a vital duty serving the community and safeguarding the welfare of the public. The Florida Beach Patrol Chiefs Association, established in 1983, annually awards individuals, ocean rescue teams, and police departments for meritorious and heroic acts. In 2022, officer Joseph Hoffman of the Riviera Beach Police Department received recognition for his bravery when he risked his own life swimming out into a rip current to save a 12-year-old boy and another person who had gotten into difficulties trying to rescue the child (per WPTV).