LTC 185-2003 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
LUMMUS PARK UPDATE
Date: August 5, 2003
This Letter to the Commission is to provide information on the homeless situation in
Lummus Park and the Police Department's efforts to combat crime in this area.
The Police Department recently increased the number of officers working in this area and
now has 15 bicycle beat officers assigned to Ocean Drive. These officers work all three
shifts and provide seven-day a week coverage. These officers have been advised to
increase their patrols of the park and work closely with the City's Homeless Outreach Team
to offer shelter and assistance to the homeless. In addition, undercover detectives from
the Narcotics Unit will also be assigned to conduct investigations and attempt to purchase
narcotics in the area.
The homeless individuals frequenting Lummus Park are utilizing the restrooms as well as
the public showers near the sea wall. Their use of these facilities and presence in the park
does not constitute grounds for an officer to make an arrest. Unless the officers observe a
homeless individual violating the law there is little they can legally do to remove them. This
is an extremely frustrating situation for both the police officers trying to improve the quality
of life in this neighborhood and the residents and tourists trying to enjoy the park.
However, a review of crime statistics for the past six months does not reflect an increase in
the crime rate in Lummus Park. There has been an increase in thefts from the beach area
between 10th and 16th Street. This problem is being addressed by both the Patrol Division
and the Criminal Investigations Unit.
The Police Department will continue its enforcement efforts in this area and work hard on
identifying viable options for the law enforcement portion of the problem. It must be
recognized that this issue can not be resolved by law enforcement efforts alone but must
be addressed by a combination of public and private sector initiatives.
JMG~D\tr
c: Donald W. De Lucca, Chief of Police
Frank Fiorentino, President 1500 Ocean Drive Condo Association
F:\POLI~ADMI~$CHI~2003~TC Lummus Park.doc