Citizen group tries out volunteer beach patrol

A group of Longboat Key residents plan to start a volunteer beach program in February aimed at keeping the popular north-end beaches presentable.

Longboat Key North member Maureen Merrigan, one of the group's organizers, described how beach visitors can't always be counted upon to do the right thing. 

“We had problems back in like 2018 where we just a lot of sort of bad beach behavior, people littering, marking up trees with graffiti, lots of sort of underage parties, and we got that tampered down, we had a police beat going up there,” Merrigan said. “Since we’ve opened since COVID, we’ve got people coming back.”

The pilot program will have pairs of volunteers patrolling the shoreline dressed in high-visibility vests. They'll answer questions about the beach and help pick up small trash.

The group plans to reduce the strain on the environment to improve beachgoers’ experience. Group member Cyndi Seamon said the group hopes to provide biodegradable “rag bags” to prevent littering.

 “I think we’re just really trying to promote, keep it clean,” Seamon said. “The cleaner it is, the better it is for everybody, right?”

Volunteers will be able to answer questions beachgoers might have like where they’re allowed to bring their dogs in the nearby area and where the nearest public restroom is located. 

Merrigan said Marco Island and Siesta Key feature similar volunteer programs to promote responsible beach behavior. It’s part of the reason she said the group is starting the pilot program on the north end of Longboat Key.

“We said, ‘maybe we just pilot that up on the north and see if that helps,’” Merrigan said. “Would us just sort of modeling good beach behavior encourage good beach behavior?”

The Longboat Key North community organization is coordinating with the town and the non-profit organization Keep Manatee Beautiful.

In terms of educating the public, Seamon said she hopes the beach program could become similar to her volunteer work with Longboat Key Turtle Watch and the Audubon Society.

During sea turtle nesting season, Longboat Key beaches are frequently dotted with marked-off areas denoting nests. 

“In the summertime, it was amazing how people knew where to walk, how to behave and it was all because of education early on,” Seamon said. “And, even other people were telling other people what to do.”

Merrigan echoed Seamon’s sentiment about the program.

“It’s just sort of an extra set of eyes and ears for the town as it relates to Public Works, and picking up things or maintaining things out there,” Merrigan said. “If there’s something that we think the police need to be aware of, but the big thing is just kind of be invisible, modeling good behavior and also being a resource for folks.”

Anyone wanting to volunteer for the pilot program can email [email protected]. The group is still in the process of setting up its training for volunteers.