Miami Police Stepping Their Game Up For Urban Beach Week 2013
Miami – Sun, sand, music and heightened security pretty much sums up Memorial Day Weekend on South Beach. The Miami Beach Police Department is currently preparing for the annual holiday weekend party, commonly referred to as Urban Beach Week, by beefing up security as much as possible. Cameras, both mobile and stationary, have been installed throughout the city. Ready to be deployed throughout the city of Miami Beach are a total of 62 light towers, twelve visual messaging boards and three watch towers. Roughly 400 officers per shift from multiple agencies will pack the streets of Miami Beach. In addition to extra bikes and ATVs, the Police Department has a new vehicle on loan referred to as an LTV. CBS 4 News had the exclusive first look at this 140-thousand dollar light tactical all-terrain vehicle, similar to the ones used in the military. But instead of war zones overseas, cops will use it to protect the city of Miami Beach. The camera uses infrared technology to detect heat signatures on the beach, so even in the dead of night, officers can see people on a small screen mounted inside the vehicle. Police will use license plate readers to quickly scan for stolen vehicles or owners with outstanding felony warrants. A massive DUI checkpoint is planned for the MacArthur Causeway heading into the beach on Friday night.
In case you don’t know, here’s the scoop on Urban Beach Week. Looks like a good time to me. Who doesn’t like hos and twenty-fos? Sure, Miami’s recent Memorial Day run hasn’t exactly been stellar, but the 2011 shooting & 2012 face-eating could’ve happened anywhere. I haven’t heard of any military-grade protection being deployed to Fire Island, the Jersey shore or whatever Figawi is. Is this a black thing? Because white people are dangerous too. Pissing in public is not to be taken lightly. Broken bottles & other vandalism could get someone hurt. And one of these days, a couple drunken bros threatening each other from 20 feet away might turn into a real slap fight. Just a little ridiculous that anything “urban” gets all the hype as being rough & tough with military LTV’s deployed like honkies are a bunch of pussies.