MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) – Miami Beach Police said Monday the latest arrest totals from Urban Beach Weekend are running just about the same as last year.
The latest numbers from Miami Beach Police were a total of 321 arrests over the weekend. Last year, during one of the most controversial Urban Beach Weekends, there were a total of 332 arrests.
Miami Beach Police said one of the biggest differences from last year to this year was the number of calls requesting police assistance. Last year, there were 2,664 calls made asking for police help. During this year’s Urban Beach Weekend, there were a total of 2062 calls, or 602 less calls.
“We’re really happy to see there are crowds here that are enjoying themselves,” said Miami Beach Assistant City Manager Hilda Fernandez Sunday. “They’re doing so without making a mess of the city, without creating any issues for themselves and especially for us as a city.”
Still, some visitors said the stepped-up enforcement is overkill.
“I think the police presence is a little overwhelming,” said visitor John Greene. “I believe that some of the barricades that they have, it’s not as personal as it used to be.”
Cops explained it’s better to be proactive than reactive.
“What may be overkill for some, in the end is a prevention tool,” said Miami Beach Police Det. Vivian Hernandez. “Our goal is to prevent that one major event from happening. That’s why we’ve placed all different prevention methods this year.”
