Officer checks on young sailors determined to ride out hurricane

Friday, Oct. 4

Rude remarks

9 a.m., 3700 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Disturbance: An officer responded to an emergency call about a verbal dispute. At the scene, the officer met with the complainant, who said she was walking on the beach and saw a man removing the chairs from the beach. According to her, when she thanked the man, he responded rudely. Then, the man fell to the ground and the complainant asked if he was OK, to which he uttered another rude response. A bystander at the scene also spoke with the officer and said the man was well-known in the community for his behavior. All responding officers canvassed the area for the man but came up empty. No crime was committed, so no investigation was required. 

Fishermen check out

10:59 p.m., 7300 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Suspicious Person: A caller reported a suspicious person fishing from a boat. When officers arrived at the location, they saw fishermen legally fishing from a boat. The officers then advised the complainant that no illegal activities were going on. 

Saturday, Oct. 5

Water approaching 

1:26 p.m., 6500 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Officer Public Service: An officer responded to a citizen assist call regarding flooding near Gulfside Road. Due to the flooding, the officer advised the caller that police response would be delayed. She said that the water was starting to reach her backyard, but that she did not require any emergency services. 

Sunday, Oct. 6

Profanity problems 

5:07 p.m., 600 block of Dream Island Road 

Civil Disturbance: Officers were dispatched to respond to a verbal argument between two men, possibly between the caller and other men in a tow truck that was towing a boat. Dispatch also said the people in the truck might have been dumpster diving. Upon arrival at the scene, the caller was no longer on the phone with dispatch and did not want to meet, but the officers located the truck in question. The two men said they lived at the nearby address and someone passing by started yelling profanities at them and said he was calling the police. No further incident was observed by the officers, and the case was closed. 

Monday, Oct. 7

Riding out the storm

2:11 p.m., 700 block of Hideaway Bay Lane

Welfare Check: A resident called to ask an officer to check on four young adults who were living on sailboats in a nearby canal. When the officer met the caller at the scene, she said she was concerned about the four liveaboards because of Hurricane Milton. The officer then met with the four young sailors, who said they were going to ride out the storm and understood the consequences of staying during a mandatory evacuation. Further, they said they had enough food and water on the boats and were fine on the boats. Though the officer tried to persuade them to go to safety on the mainland, the four continued to insist they were fine to stay. 

Electrical assistance 

4:23 p.m., 500 block of Linley Street

Officer Public Service: An officer responded to a resident’s call for help turning off a breaker at her residence. While en route to the home, the officer spoke with the resident over the phone and she gave the officer verbal permission to enter her house and turn off the breaker, which the officer did when he arrived at the house. 

Tuesday, Oct. 8

Forgot to lock up 

3:20 a.m., 6000 block of Gulf of Mexico Drive

Officer Public Service: Dispatch sent a Longboat Key officer to a residence after the homeowner called for some assistance from afar. The homeowner asked if an officer could double-check that the deadbolt to his condo was locked. When the officer arrived at the scene, the homeowner directed the officer via a phone call where the spare set of keys was, and the officer locked the deadbolt for him. 

Dangerous manhole 

5:52 a.m., 3200 block of Bayou Road 

Officer Public Service: A resident called for police assistance after she reported a nearby manhole was uncovered. At the scene, the caller said she contacted Public Works and Comcast for the past five days about the manhole, but no one had responded. On top of that, she said her dog almost fell inside the hole earlier that day. The officer placed the cover over the manhole. 

Collecting coconuts

10:53 a.m., 6300 block of Laguna Drive

Suspicious Person: An officer responded to a suspicious person report. The complainant said she saw three young adults walking in the area suspiciously and appearing to be “casing” houses to loot. She also said she saw a white van driving behind the young adults. The officer canvassed the area and found the young adults, who were walking down the sidewalk carrying coconuts. The group turned out to be the same group of liveaboard young adults the same officer spoke with a day earlier. The officer again advised them about evacuating, but they continued to refuse. No criminal activity was observed, though.