LTC 005-2019 Police Technology - Tethered AerostatMIAMI ACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 005-2019 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members o the City C
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manage
DATE: January 3, 2019
SUBJECT: Police Technology-Tethered Aero tat
This Letter to Commission is prepared to inform the Mayor and Commission of new
technology acquired by the Police Department to assist in monitoring the safety of the
public at large crowd events in Miami Beach.
Due to the legal restrictions placed on police departments under Florida law and
because of limited battery life and flight time, Unmanned Aerial Systems (aka "drones")
are not a current option for the Miami Beach Police Department to monitor crowds from
the air at large gatherings and major events. As crowds at major events here in the city
have increased in size over the years, and given the emergence of new threats of
terrorism seen around the world at such large gatherings, the department sought to
acquire a new technological solution for aerial monitoring.
On December 28, 2018 the City of Miami Beach hosted the Capital One Beach Bash,
welcoming 15,000 thousand guests to an area along the shoreline to enjoy a free open-
air concert. As part of the department's safety plan, the department's Technical
Operations Unit deployed its new Tethered Aerostat above the event venue. This
helium-filled "balloon" provided a bird's-eye view of crowd size and overall safety for the
event. The new camera-equipped device provided an ideal vantage point in an
unobtrusive manner, with a sleek, yet friendly look. The tethered balloon allowed for
personnel to manage the security of the event more effectively, with an exceptional
vantage point.
The Department will continue to experiment and develop skills and experience with this
device in the days ahead in an ongoing effort to improve public safety.
Images of the device in use on December 28 are attached.
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