LTC 139-2003 CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No.
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez~
City Manager
Panhandling Ordinance Education, Awareness, and Enforcement Plan
Date: June 18, 2003
This Letter to the Commission is to advise the Mayor and City Commission of the Police
Department's plan to infor[~ our community of the new panhandling ordinance and how
enforcement will come about.
A three prong apprOach to include an education campaign, awareness, and enforcement
components will be adopted in implementing prOvisions of the new ordinance.
First, our City Attorney's Office is already in the process of providing Roll Call training to
inform the officers about the new ordinance and answer any questions that may arise.
Second, these officers in turn will begin a 60 day education and awareness program to
inform the community of the new ordinance by distributing informational flyers, coordinating
with the Homeless Outreach Team, meeting with business owners, and posting apprOpriate
signage in the affected areas. Our Public Information Office will do community outreach
via the media.
Finally, during the initial 60 day education and awareness component, officers will issue
warnings to violators of the new ordinance while informing them of their being subject to
arrest for future offenses. These warnings will be tracked by the Police Department.
Once the 60 day initial implementation phase has passed, officers will begin discretionary
enforcement action against violators.
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F:\POLI\TECHSERWPOLICIES~COM_MEMO~anhandling Ord Education Awareness Enforcement Plan.doc