ST. GEORGE -- It was a busy weekend on St. George Boulevard, the main street in this southern Utah town, as rowdy teens and busy police participated in the annual spring break tradition.
"Most of these kids are good kids just having a good time," Lt. Marlon Stratton said on Friday night.Officers from the Utah Highway Patrol, Washington County Sheriff's Office, Dixie College and several units from other Utah police departments helped St. George officers this year.
There were so many officers patrolling the boulevard that teenagers said they were split between feeling safe and being annoyed at their presence.
But authorities said their goal during the annual tradition is to let the teens have fun while keeping them safe.
"Our main focus is order and maintenance," Stratton said. "We don't want any fights. We want to keep things peaceful and safe."
Two officers were assigned to foot pat-
rol on each side of every block; bike officers rode the length of the boulevard; patrol cars were parked in the median with their lights on, stopping vehicles from making any left-hand turns and keeping accidents to a minimum; and motorcycle squads were able to respond quickly to fender-benders or other problems.
Traffic on the street was so crowded, mostly with cars loaded with teens, that most officers found it easier and quicker to walk their beat.
By Sunday the rush was over, said a St. George police dispatcher. She had no information on the number of arrests or citations made during the weekend.