Miami Beach

Arrests Down

City touts a 27 percent decrease in arrests during Urban Beach Week

By Ben Torter

Green, the color of money and success, was the tint of choice for pimped-out rides cruising South Beach during this year’s Urban Beach Week.

The green theme appeared to have brought good fortune, too. Arrests were down 27 percent from last year, and Miami Beach city officials and police are calling the Memorial Day weekend holiday a success.

“It was a good crowd; people were here to have a good time,” said Assistant City Manager Hilda Fernandez, adding that she hasn’t yet compiled a detailed analysis of the weekend and how many people showed up, but that “the crowds appeared to be a little lighter than last year.”

There were a total of 570 arrests in the city Thursday through Monday, down from 784 in 2007. The majority, 479, were for misdemeanors, such as minor drug charges, disorderly intoxication, DUIs and other alcohol-related offenses. Police confiscated 33 guns in five days, down from 60 the year before.

More positive news is there were no murders, unlike last year when Lessli Paz and Joey Navarro were shot to death in front of David’s Café II on Meridian Avenue near Lincoln Road. Jermaine Chamberline, 24, was arrested and confessed to the murders.

Past events have also been marred by accusations of police brutality and racism. The ACLU kept an eye on things this year, and the Miami-Dade County Goodwill Ambassadors were out answering visitors’ questions.

And there was a major show of force, with all Miami Beach police officers pulling alpha-bravo shifts, or 12 hours on, 12 hours off. They were assisted by officers from the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and departments in Miami-Dade, Miami, Surfside, Bal Harbour and Fort Lauderdale.

The official word from the police department is that this Urban Beach Week “was arguably the best and most successful … over the last eight-year stretch.”

Despite the good news, there was a double shooting near Miami Beach Police Headquarters at 11th Street and Washington Avenue sometime between 3:30 and 4 a.m. on Saturday. A bullet skimmed Lavell Payne, 21, on the back of his head, and McKasey Huggins, 22, was shot in the shoulder and finger. 

Both men are OK. The shooter has so far eluded police.

Miami Beach Police Department spokesman Juan Sanchez said police “are still investigating the incident.”

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