MIAMI.- The police of Miami-Dade carried out a security operation during the festive long weekend Martin Luther King Jr. to stop the illegal use of all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and motorcycles on public roads, with a high balance of violations of the law, the authorities reported on Monday.
According to the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), the operation began on Friday and ended on Monday, and resulted in 165 arrests, 82 vehicles seized, 16 stolen vehicles recovered, 25 firearms seized and 621 citations issued.
On Friday, MDPD Homeland Security Office detectives, along with officers attached to other police teams, They arrested several offenders who participated in or witnessed ‘pirouettes’ at intersections near Miami International Airportaccording to a press release from the MDPD.
On Sunday, Miami-Dade police and their partner agencies intercepted 48 people illegally driving ATVs on county roads and seized 16 vehicles, five of them stolen, and four firearms. 118 warning citations were also issued.
Police: “Zero tolerance”
MDPD said it would continue to have zero tolerance for reckless drivers who violate traffic laws in Miami-Dade County, especially during the holiday and events held in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.
The director of the county police agency, Stephanie V. Daniels, noted that Reckless driving will not be tolerated and engaging in such activities will result in police actions including arrests, citations and the seizure of vehicles.
The security operation was carried out within the framework of the annual Wheels Up, Guns Down ride, which usually occurs on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and consists of drivers of all-terrain vehicles, dirt bikes and motorcycles taking to the streets, many sometimes recklessly.
Miami-Dade police were supported by other law enforcement agencies, such as the Florida Highway Patrol, to monitor traffic in real time and report violators.
In addition to the confiscated vehicles, Police also closely followed cyclists who were allegedly trying to take over the roadswhich is illegal, according to authorities.
Videos of numerous cyclists in areas such as the downtown and Brickell who ran red lights and, on several occasions, did not respect traffic rules.
