MIAMI – The Miami-Dade County Community Relations Board (CRB) under the Office of Community Advocacy held its Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Committee meeting on April 25 at the City of Miami Police Department-North District Station. This meeting focused on the increase in youth/gun violence in Liberty City, and the steps that the City of Miami Police Department, Miami-Dade Police Department, and the Circle of Brotherhood are taking to help curb the violence; as well as the role of the CRB.

"Operation Blue and Brown is a collaboration between Miami Police and Miami-Dade Police that started on April 9 and it has been extremely successful; we’ve had 86 arrests, 19 confiscated guns, and the kids are now playing outside and are walking to/from school without fear of getting shot or killed,” said Commander Kendra Simmons. (Watch her update)

“We are going to continue our footprint and high visibility public outreach in the affected areas,” said Miami-Dade Police Chief Ariel Artime. “I applaud our team and partners for their hard work.” (Watch the statement)

Brother Lyle from the Circle of Brotherhood made a presentation sharing their initiative and comprehensive plan to strike at the core of the epidemic of crime and violence. “We need to educate the parents for them to understand the criminal court system, from the time the child is arrested until sentencing,” said CRB Program Director Shirley Plantin. “That’s why the CRB is partnering with Commissioners Daniella Levine Cava and Dennis Moss to hold a forum for the parents on June 14 in Cutler Bay; our main goal is to avoid for the child to be part of the system. (Watch the video)

The CRB monthly meetings are open to the public, and residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about the work of the board. For more information, please contact Miami-Dade County Community Relations Board Director Shirley Plantin, EJD at 305-375-1406.

The Office of Community Advocacy is charged with making Miami-Dade County "One Community" that embraces our diverse and unique population. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @MDCAdvocacy.