2009-27149 ResoRESOLUTION NO. 2009-27149
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING GOVERNOR
CHARLIE CRIST TO CONVENE A TASKFORCE TO EXPLORE
EFFECTIVE MEANS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM
SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO
TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE
OFFICIALS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
WHEREAS, the City of Miami Beach seeks to protect members of our community from
sexual violence; and
WHEREAS, an encampment of individuals convicted of sexual offenses has been
established under and around the Julia Tuttle Causeway bridge, and in other outdoor locations
in Miami-Dade County ("County"), due to the inability of such offenders to find permissible
housing under residence restriction ordinances promulgated by the County, the City of Miami
("City"), other municipalities in the County, and the State of Florida ("State"); and
WHEREAS, the homelessness of sexual offenders and predators threatens the safety
and welfare of the public by leading some offenders to abscond, thereby obstructing the ability
of law enforcement to track those offenders still under supervision; and
WHEREAS, homelessness, and the instability resulting therefrom, can exacerbate the
potential for re-offense and interfere with both community reentry and treatment programs in
which offenders are enrolled; and
WHEREAS, various sexual offenders have been living intermittently, and possibly
continuously, under and around the Julia Tuttle Causeway bridge since at least April, 2007; and
WHEREAS, the number of offenders living under the bridge has increased dramatically
during that time, in part because many have been directed to reside there by their probation
officers who cannot find permissible housing for these offenders anywhere in the County; and
WHEREAS, the public safety crisis created by this housing situation is not unique to the
City, to other municipalities in the County, or to the County as a whole, but exists in other areas
of the State as well; and
WHEREAS, the proliferation of local residence restrictions in other counties and
municipalities makes cooperation among various counties and municipalities necessary in order
to address the issue; and
WHEREAS, the involvement of the Department of Corrections, local and state law
enforcement agencies, and other government entities in tracking offenders who are still under
supervision and protecting the public makes cooperation among various state and local
agencies necessary in order to address this public safety crisis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, as follows:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted
by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The Mayor and City Commission urge Governor Charlie Crist to convene a
Statewide Taskforce to examine effective means to protect our communities from sexual
violence.
Section 3. The Statewide Taskforce should identify public safety concerns arising from the
inability of many sexual offenders and predators to find permissible housing under the
patchwork of State, County, and City residence restrictions.
Section 4. The Statewide Taskforce should include representation from law enforcement,
probation, corrections, experts in the treatment and management of persons convicted of sex
offenses, researchers, victim advocates, human rights advocates, and State and local
policymakers.
Section 5. The Statewide Taskforce should work collaboratively to seek solutions that remedy
this counter-productive public safety and housing crisis in a way that will better protect the public
from sexual violence by minimizing offender instability that can lead to recidivism and facilitating
the effective monitoring and supervision of offenders still under supervision.
Section 6. The Statewide Taskforce should be convened for its first meeting within 120 days
after this Resolution's adoption and signature of the Mayor.
Section 7. The City Clerk is directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to Governor Charlie
Crist, Senate President Jeff Atwater, House Speaker Larry Cretul, and the members of the
Florida Legislature.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 15th day of July, 2009.
ATTEST:
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ROBERT PARCHER, CITY CLERK
F:\atto\TURN\RESOS\Sexual Predators -Julia Tuttle Causeway.doc
MAT HERRERA BO ER
MAYOR
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OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
JOSE SMITH, CITY ATTORNEY COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: MAYOR MATTI HERRERA BOWER
MEMBERS OF THE CITY COMMISSION
CITY MANAGER JORGE M. GO LEZ
FROM: CITY ATTORNEY JOSE TH
DATE: JULY 15, 2009
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING GOVERNOR
CHARLIE CRIST TO CONVENE A TASKFORCE TO EXPLORE
EFFECTIVE MEANS TO PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES FROM
SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO
TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
Pursuant to the request of Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, the attached Resolution is hereby submitted
for consideration by the City Commission.
F:\atto\TURN\COMMMEMO\Sexual Predators -Julia Tuttle Causeway.doc
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