White Trash Bash keeps officers busy

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission says it was kept very busy during this year’s “White Trash bash” off Dog Island. The “White Trash Bash” is held every year on Memorial Day weekend, it bring hundreds of boaters to the Gulf off the barrier island. Police say this year the event expanded to include Alligator Point. Twenty-one FWC Officers from six counties Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Jefferson, Leon, and Liberty chaperoned this year’s event along with six Alcoholic Beverage Agents, seven Highway Patrol Troopers and eight Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputies – The officers utilized eight patrol vessels and one fixed-wing aircraft to conduct the detail. Officers were very busy through the day. They boarded 113 boats, talked to 656 people, issued 56 citations and 63 written warnings and made two arrests. People were cited for a list of offenses ranging from boating under the influence, possession of alcoholic beverages by underage individuals, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, insufficient boating safety equipment, and expired vessel registration. One medical emergency was also reported during the event and the individual was transported on the Orion to paramedics waiting on the mainland.