BRADENTON BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) — With Easter Sunday and Memorial Day Weekend coming up soon, officials in Manatee County want to make sure residents and visitors will have a safe time when they hit the beach.

Leaders are preparing for crowds over both holiday weekends, two of the busiest beach days for Anna Maria Island.

“As people have seen from news reports from South Beach, we’re teaming up with law enforcement agencies to make sure that doesn’t happen in Manatee County,” said Chloe Conboy, the strategic affairs manager for the Manatee County Government Public Safety Department.

Law enforcement and public safety officials held a press conference on Coquina Beach Tuesday discussing plans to ensure residents and visitors will be safe at the beach amid the ongoing pandemic.

“Remember that we still have a mask ordinance in place and social distancing,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. “We want you to come out here and have a good time, but at the same time, we want you to be respectful of our residents and our island.”

“Our law enforcement teams on the island are taking it very seriously and are going to come very prepared to make sure people know you can’t get away with certain things in Manatee County,” Conboy said. “That’s why we want to be proactive, let the public know and warn them that what might have happened in South Beach isn’t going to fly in Manatee County.”

Beachgoers we spoke with say they choose Anna Maria Island beaches for the family-friendly atmosphere. One mother we spoke with says that safe, family environment makes a big difference with everything going on with the pandemic.

“We always feel safe. It is not a crazy hustle bustle of the big cities with people packed into one location,” said Amy Eaton. “I feel like people are pretty much spread out around here and you feel safe. You feel like you can walk freely and not be in a large group.”

Officials want to remind visitors of the policies in place on the beach.

“We do not allow any alcohol at our beaches. No pets, no glass bottles, no fires or grills unless you are in the grilling area,” said Chief Tokajer.

“When you come to the beach, it is a family place to come. It is a place to enjoy your day and go home safely at the end of the night,” said Beach Patrol Chief Joe Westerman.