Daytona Beach police open new substation to address crime on Seabreeze Avenue

DAYTONA BEACH — Police opened a substation Friday afternoon that they hope will keep trouble at bay in the Seabreeze Boulevard business corridor where a woman shot four people outside of Razzle's nightclub in July.

Police Chief Jakari Young called the opening of the new substation at 654 N. Grandview Ave. "a milestone" and "a long time coming."

"This location, as many of you have noticed, is indeed unique," Young said, prompting laughter from those in attendance.

Directly next door is Grandview Live, a gentlemen's club. Across the street is Lollipops, also a gentlemen's club.

"This deliberate choice of location sends a clear message: we are not afraid to tackle issues head-on, even in areas where the challenges persist," Young said.

At the south end of the block is Razzle's at 611 Seabreeze Blvd.

"We wanted to have a foothold somewhere down here," Capt. Jeremy Nikolow said, adding that the area will now be more illuminated.

Police are leasing the 2,900-square-foot building from Premier Resorts & Management, which owns the site of the former Ocean Breeze Club, 640 N. Atlantic Ave. in the core tourist district.

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Karla Bermudez, 29, of Daytona Beach, is accused of shooting and injuring four people during a fight at Razzle's back parking lot on the night of July 22.

Bermudez, who is claiming self-defense, remains held in the Volusia County Branch Jail without bail on four counts of attempted felony murder with a firearm and one count of carrying a concealed firearm or weapon in a specific location, records show.

Young said by situating the substation "in close proximity to these establishments, we are reinforcing the message to everyone, including bar owners, that they will be held accountable for maintaining a safe and responsible environment."

The substation will be operational daily from 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.

"The schedule is carefully designed to address the specific needs of our community during these critical hours," Young said.

Mayor Derrick Henry said Seabreeze Boulevard's best days lie ahead.

"This is one of the greatest, if not the very best day, in the history of the beachside," Henry said.

During the grand opening of the substation, attendees also heard from Daytona Beach City Commissioner Ken Strickland.

Strickland represents Zone 2, which includes Seabreeze Boulevard.

The commissioner expressed his thanks to those who made the new substation possible, including neighborhood community groups "for their persistence in trying to better this neighborhood and this avenue along here, to bring it back to what it was at one time, where it was safe, where it was fun, a place where people want to go and gather at night as well as in the daytime."

Strickland said people who come to the area "have got to change their behavior or they're not welcome."

"They can come here, they can have fun, but they don't have the right to disrupt our lives as residents and taxpayers," Strickland said.

Michie Cohen, who manages parking for Grandview Live, echoed the sentiments of local leaders following the event.

"I think they'll mind their manners a lot better," Cohen said of visitors.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Beach police open new substation to stem crime along Seabreeze