CRYSTAL BEACH – Jeep Weekend on Bolivar Peninsula wrapped up Saturday with 181 arrests reported by 7 p.m.—a figure consistent with previous years—but the real story was the subdued atmosphere and visibly smaller crowds compared to past events.

As reported by The Galveston County Daily News, unofficial tallies placed the beachgoer count around 2,000 between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., far fewer than the tens of thousands—sometimes up to 100,000—who’ve swarmed the beach in years past.

“There’s a new sheriff in town,” The Daily News wrote, referencing Sheriff Jimmy Fullen’s first Jeep Weekend in office. Months of preparation, stronger messaging, and a massive law enforcement presence contributed to what many described as a dramatically different scene.

“We’ve seen a sharp decline in lawlessness this year and I credit that to my command staff and the partnership we developed with over 17 other law enforcement agencies across the region,” Sheriff Fullen told The Daily News. “We welcome everyone to come enjoy our beaches and visit Bolivar Peninsula, but I want everyone to be safe and know that we expect them to obey the law. As long as I’m sheriff, the Jeep Weekend chaos we’ve seen in the past will never be tolerated again.”

According to Capt. Seth Rowlands of the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, the planning for this year’s operation began early and culminated in the deployment of 416 officers from 17 different agencies—up significantly from the 160 officers present at the peak in 2023 and just 80 in 2022.

Rowlands, who has worked every Jeep Weekend, told The Daily News: “It was told to us that it couldn’t be done. I think Sheriff Fullen’s plan to this point has proved to them that it could be done. You just have to be willing to try something different.”

Visitor feedback echoed the changes. One attendee, who identified himself only as Herson, told The Daily News that he left after just three hours. “It was empty,” he said. “It’s changed.”

Of the 181 arrests, The Daily News reported 29 were felonies. Authorities also recovered 34 firearms and issued 149 misdemeanor citations.

Rowlands noted that many who did attend were still skeptical of the county’s intent to crack down. “We were like, ‘What did y’all expect?’” he said.

With Saturday night drawing to a quiet close, law enforcement officials expressed optimism that the trend would continue.

(Source: Reporting by Jeff Robinson, The Galveston County Daily News)