Jacksonville Beach Police Chief Patrick Dooley says his department is doing all it can to prevent more violent brawls like the ones that occurred on Memorial Day.
The Jacksonville Beach City Council held it’s first meeting Monday night since the fights.
An overflow crowd packed the room suggesting ways to curb what they say has been a growing trend of crime and unruly behavior in Jacksonville Beach’s downtown businesses district.
Nearly all the residents praised the actions of the police department in ending the fights as did Chief Dooley.
"Everything that they could do that night they did correctly...it was a bad situation. However, in many situations like that the police can make it worse by the way we respond."
Dooley says the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has offered to help boost the police presence on weekends and holidays when its needed.
There was an increase last weekend and few incidents were reported.
Suggestions to cut down on poor behavior included paid parking on weekends and holidays, and cracking down on the illegal parking in vacant lots.
