The Miami-Dade County Chairman’s Policy Council on June 7 advanced several pieces of legislation designed to address the epidemic of gun violence in the inner city, including maintaining funding for expanded joint police patrols of Liberty City by City of Miami and Miami-Dade County police.
Known as Operation Blue and Brown after the blue and brown uniforms, respectively, of the Miami and Miami-Dade police departments, the program began in April as a six-week pilot program to provide a heightened police presence to deter criminal activity in the high-crime area.
“Given the positive impact Operation Blue and Brown has already had on reducing crime, we need to keep it going by providing the necessary additional funding,” said County Commission Chairman Esteban Bovo Jr., who is sponsoring the measure.
Also on June 7, the policy council advanced legislation urging passage of pending Congressional legislation to improve safety at public housing in Liberty City, increase the number of gun buyback events in the county, and expand Miami-Dade’s ShotSpotter program, which utilizes sound-detecting devices to notify police when and where gunshots are fired.
All four pieces of legislation still must go before the full County Commission for approval.
