Police expecting large crowd for New Year’s Eve celebrations

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Many people are preparing to ring in the new year, including the Wilmington Police Department. Capt. Jeff Allsbrook said much thought has gone into the planning of this year’s patrol in order to keep the community safe and sound.

Because of the balmy forecast, Allsbrook said police expect a larger crowd than normal to celebrate. They want to make sure everyone enjoys themselves.

“What we would expect is for everyone to have a good time, and we want everyone to have a good time, but we just want to be prepared in case the crowds do get large and unruly,” Allsbrook said. “We’ve worked well with the Downtown Bar Association. We’ve had meetings. We’re asking that they cooperate and help us by not overserving people.”

Because taxis will be in high demand, Allsbrook said party-goers should plan ahead and designate a sober driver. Additional officers are scheduled to crack down on the New Year’s DWI offenders.