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'Operation Dry Spring' Hailed As Success, Led To Thousands Of Arrests During Spring Break

Walton County Sheriff's Office twitter

The Florida Sheriffs Task Force is hailing “Operation Dry Spring” as a success.  The month-long operation cracked down on the sale of alcohol and synthetic drugs to underage kids in about half of the state’s counties.

“Operation Dry Spring” was conducted during Spring Break—from March 16th through April 12th. It led to more than 2,000 arrests across 28 counties. More than half the arrests centered around underage youth under 21 in possession of alcohol. Most came from Walton County Sheriff Mike Adkinson’s area with 580.

“There’s always a question when it comes to dealing with a thing like underage drinking and Spring Break arrests,” said Adkinson, during a press conference Thursday. “Why be so aggressive in our dealing with this? Ultimately, this is about saving lives. We have seen the loss of life. We have seen injury in this county and statewide, the ramifications that come to alcohol-related incidents in youth.”

Bay County—which has had trouble with Spring Breakers—had the third most arrests of underage youth in possession of alcohol with close to 230.

For more news updates, follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter: @SaschaCordner.

Sascha Cordner has more than ten years of public radio experience. It includes working at NPR member station WUFT-FM in Gainesville for several years. She's worked in both radio and TV, serving in various capacities as a reporter, producer and anchor. She's also a graduate of the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in telecommunications. She is the recipient of 15 awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and Edward R. Murrow. Her award-winning stories include her coverage on the infamous “Dozier School for Boys” and a feature titled "Male Breast Cancer: Lost in the Sea of Pink." Currently, Sascha serves as the host and producer of local and state news content for the afternoon news program "All Things Considered" at WFSU. Sascha primarily covers criminal justice and social services issues. When she's not reporting, Sascha likes catching up on her favorite TV shows, singing and reading. Follow Sascha Cordner on Twitter:@SaschaCordner.