There will be an increased police presence in Gulf Shores during this year's spring break months.At a Jan. 22 Gulf Shores City Council meeting, council members approved a motion for an authorized contract with the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.

The motion was presented in tandem with another approved motion to ban alcohol on city beaches from March 1 to April 28 due to the influx in tourists visiting for spring break vacation.

Deputy Chief of Police Dan Nettermeyer said the contract should deter crime and reduce the amount of emergency calls to the beaches during the busy tourist season.

"This helps be a force multiplier for us and should hopefully cut down on beach rescues," Nettermeyer said.

Additionally, Nettermeyer said the city has previously approved similar contracts and referenced a shooting incident from last March, citing that the increased police presence resolved the issue in a quick and thorough manner.

"If you recall, last year we had a spring break-related shooting near the beach area," Nettermeyer said. "The subject was taken into custody in 20 seconds by one of the Baldwin County sheriff's officers who was supplementing our resources down there that day. Our officer showed up after that and took the subject into custody to prevent anything else from happening. This is a very good partnership we have with them."

Per a Gulf Coast Media article from March 2023, the shooting occurred near The Hangout during a physical altercation between several juvenile and adult subjects. The shooter was quickly apprehended, and the victim was taken to a hospital in stable condition.

According to the meeting's presented documents, the contract will allow the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office to "perform any and all necessary and appropriate functions, actions, and responsibilities for law enforcement within the city."

Additionally, the agreement will allow the prosecution of local cases made by the county deputies to be handled in Gulf Shores Municipal Court.

The services will cost the city approximately $60,000 and are included in the city's 2024 annual budget.