Do hot days cause hot tempers?

Hot temperatures have a way of drawing people out to our beaches or just out for a stroll, but it could also be a draw for bad behavior.

“The nicer the weather, people will want to stay out longer at night and that type of thing,” said Sgt. Barry Key of the WPD.

Key has been with the Wilmington Police Department for over twenty years. He says the summer months keeps the WPD busy with crowds enjoying the weather resulting in more disturbance calls, noise complaints and even assaults.

“A lot of times in those situations, they are drinking and having a good time and tempers will start to flare,” Key said.

He says many of the problems stem from crowds who are influenced by some liquid courage, also known as alcohol.

Downtown Wilmington has been a trouble spot for police, which prompted the department to take added precautions. The police department has installed new cameras downtown to keep an eye out for mischief.

Key says no matter the season, crime is all about opportunities. “Crime is people taking advantage of opportunity and if they see an opportunity and they think they can get away with something then that’s usually when it increases.”

The North Carolina Department of Crime Control and Public Safety says studies have been done on spikes in crime over the summer, but there is no conclusive proof that hot weather causes bad behavior.