Gulf Shores, Ala. — (OBA) — Interim Chief Dan Netemeyer stated that the period from March 1 to September 2 is a particularly busy time of year for the police. With tourists flooding into town and well-known events drawing massive crowds, there is potential for an increase in crime. That's why he said the police department is working proactively and ensuring officers are in the right place at the right time.

"We're taking a bit of a 'back to basics' mentality," said Netemeyer. "We're not really tolerating the little things because when we tolerate the little things, then what are we willing to accept as kind of the culture we're trying to establish here?"

For example, numbers show there were 172 charges for drugs/paraphernalia, 112 for possession of marijuana, 111 for driving under the influence, 96 for public intoxication and 189 for minor in possession of alcohol. Those "disorder" crimes often lead to more serious crimes if the offenders are not stopped.

"If we address the alcohol and the drugs and things like that, maybe we're in a position to prevent some of the domestic altercations and other arrests," Netemeyer said. "It's a very proactive approach and I'm proud of the work that the men and women of the Gulf Shores Police Department do every day."

Further, Netemeyer said it is important for police to patrol regularly during tourist season, and look out for issues that may be impacting the quality of life for residents and other visitors.

"You know, nobody wants to come down here, spend time on the beach, spend time in a condo, and have somebody drinking and disorderly in an adjacent condo or have somebody smoking weed next to them on the beach," Netemeyer said. "They want to enjoy the beach the way it's meant to be, an enjoyable family-oriented environment and atmosphere."

Netemeyer said Gulf Shores police want people to enjoy their stay, but they need to know officers are keeping an eye out and are enforcing local laws.

"A lot of our guests that come here in the spring and summer, they live in states where marijuana is legal and they don't do the research before they come to Alabama and realize that marijuana is not legal in Alabama," Netemeyer said. "So, when they're getting pulled over because they're smoking weed or approached because they're smoking weed in the open, you know, the officers tend to make the arrest. We are more aggressive on that because it's not allowed and people deserve to live and enjoy their vacation without somebody smoking weed on an adjacent balcony."

The good news, according to Netemeyer, is that officers are trained to de-escalate situations, leading to fewer incidents of suspects turning on police. There were nine charges of attempting to elude during the spring/summer period; only two of those cases resulted in felony charges.
The chief said officer safety has remained a priority.

There are 62 officers in the Gulf Shores Police Department and Netemeyer said they are currently hiring for a few positions.

"We don't just hire police officers, we hire good police officers here in Gulf Shores and that's because of the resources the city gives us that we're able to do that," he added.

Netemeyer said that with a city of 18,000 residents and more than 175,000 visitors sometimes at once, the department must "police bigger" than what it is. He is working on a new structure to allocate resources more effectively throughout the year.

"I am proud of the work the officers do. They come in and work hard every day from the beginning of the shift to the end of the shift and they're not just driving around waiting for the next call for service," he said. "It's very difficult for anyone to come to Gulf Shores and to drive through Gulf Shores and not see a Gulf Shores police car."