Miami-Dade Police Vow Crime Crackdown Using Technology, Community Help

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- In the face of rising gun violence and younger offenders, authorities are kicking off a new initiative to curb criminal behavior in South Florida.

"We've noticed a trend lately where criminals are becoming younger and younger, and more and more violent. And that is a struggle," said Miami-Dade Police Major Ricky Carter.

The disturbing trend involves children dying at the hands of other children.

"People are dying. And the Miami-Dade Police Department won't stand for that," said Maj. Carter. "We want to make sure we create a safe environment for the community because that's our responsibility."

Just last month, 6-year-old King Carter lost his life in a gang shootout between teenagers. The first grader is just one of dozens of victims that led Major Ricky Carter of the Northside District to come up with a plan to tackle the violence.

"We're basically getting back to our fundamentals," said Maj. Carter. "We're trying to get the officers away from the vehicles and back onto the roads and into the communities."

The three-tier program first focuses on community policing -- getting cops to walk their neighborhoods with the hopes of breaking down barriers and rebuilding public trust.

"We get back into the community, we build and we strengthen the relationship that we have and that way they are more willing to give us information and investigative tips," said Maj. Carter.

The second tier of the plan involves working with specialized police units, as well as federal agencies to crack down on the illegal activity fueling gangs. They're seizing guns and drugs and making arrests in city sweeps, like "Operation Cleanup" last month.

The department is also investing in technology to help spot crime trends and narrow in on criminals faster.

"Some of the things we're investing in is 'Shot Spotter,' which allows us to identify where shots and rounds are coming from," Maj. Carter explained. "Additionally, we're doing license plate reader technology and real-time crime center. So we're taking a lot of steps to become innovative."

But most importantly, Major Carter says the success of their efforts all comes down to the community and families who are willing to ditch the idea that cops are the bad guys -- and ready to stand up and speak out against the criminals killing our children.

"We're trying to work with the community and improve that perception. It's not them against us. It's all of us working together because this is our community. We have a responsibility to try to protect it."

Police want to remind tipsters that they can always remain anonymous by calling Miami-Dade CrimeStoppers at 305-471-TIPS.