PALM BAY, Fla. — On the heels of a large gathering in the area of Palm Bay known as The Compound last weekend, police were out on patrol on Memorial Day as part of a crack-down on trespassers.

What You Need To Know

  • Palm Bay police were out in force Memorial Day as part of a crack-down on trespassers at an area locally known as The Compound

  • The extra enforcement was a result of a gathering a week earlier, where hundreds of people descended on the area

  • One person was seriously injured and had to be flown to the hospital

Officials say the enforcement proved a success.

At the entrance to The Compound, officers positioned their patrol cars to stop people from coming in.

It was just part of the enforcement detail in place to ward off problems in the large undeveloped housing community that many people use for recreation.

While Spectrum News was at the scene, several officers stopped a car towing a dirt bike trailer.

After a short discussion, the driver left without incident.

Last weekend, there were hundreds of dirt bikes and recreational vehicles gathering and creating chaos.

Emergency personnel said one person was hurt and had to be airlifted out.

In the wake of the gathering, burnouts and skid marks — the result of racing and reckless driving — were left behind. 

Also, on the ground were the remnants of the party — trash everywhere and BBQ grills left behind when police came in to disperse the crowd.

Chandler Myron lives on the edge of The Compound, and wasn’t wasting a moment to prep his family’s memorial day BBQ.

He said they've lived in the area for a little more than a year, and knew before they moved in the area’s reputation.

“Lived here in the county for about 25 years, so had a pretty good grasp on that,” Myron said.

He said he's grateful for the Palm Bay police being proactive with their enforcement in the area.

“Not just that, they are there to keep people safe, they are able to quickly respond to whatever that situation is, make sure that no one gets hurt,” he said.

Police officials say routine patrols will continue at The Compound.

The defunct residential development has been plagued with criminal activity, deadly off-road crashes, and illegal trash dumping since its developers went bankrupt in the 1980s.