Clearwater police say officers were kept busier than usual this Memorial Day weekend. Still, employees of some beach businesses say they felt safer this year.
The Clearwater Police Department had extra patrols on hand over the holiday weekend to handle whatever came their way. One example -- a beach-side brawl captured on cell phone video and posted to Facebook shows a group of women fighting, and officers stepping in to get control of the situation.
The increase in police presence was in response to last year's Memorial Day weekend shootings. That created a tense and frightening situation for beach goers.
That's why beach employee Sherri Hodges said she was a little nervous going into the holiday weekend.
"Every big holiday weekend on the beach is a little bit adventurous and we come prepared," said Hodges. "I got plenty of sleep the night before, but it wasn't anywhere near as active in an intimidating way. I felt a lot safer and I could tell a lot of my passengers felt a lot safer as well."
Hodges said this year's added security was welcomed news, and it helped.
"There were a few arguments here and there in the parking lots and the police were there immediately," Hodges said.
Officers were kept busier than usual, but they attribute some of that to proactive policing and added officers in uniform, plain clothes, on bicycles and on ATVs.
Hodges said she just wants to make sure the beach stays a family-friendly place.
"We want our customers coming back, and I think we're going to get a lot more repeat customers this memorial day weekend as opposed to last Memorial Day weekend."
Police said they arrested four people involved in the fight in the video -- three adults and one juvenile from Tampa.