MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – In preparation for a busy Memorial Day weekend in South Florida, Miami Beach police said they are taking safety measures very seriously.
The weekend will showcase a new standard that authorities say will include a heavy police presence, license plate scans on major causeways and police drones surveilling overhead.
Juan Pablo Echeverri, an employee of the Grand Cafe, which is located near the intersection of Collins and Fifth Avenue, says he is excited about the thousands of people expected.
“There are a lot of tourists. Very good for business,” said Echeverri.
Miami Beach police are gearing up by stacking and interlocking steel barricades and placing orange and white road closed signs around South Beach’s entertainment district, which is just the start of the city’s traffic mitigation plan.
“There are different modified traffic patterns that will be in place. There will be officers at every intersection to help, so if you have questions, you can ask them. There are modified traffic patterns implemented throughout the weekend,” said Miami Beach Police Officer Christopher Bess.
Bess assures an increased police presence in the area, including uniformed and undercover patrols who are collaborating with 18 different law enforcement agencies.
While there won’t be DUI checkpoints like during Spring Break, police say they are working with Florida state troopers to scan license plates of cars entering the city via the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle Causeways.
“Utilizing technology in our plan stops drugs, guns, and/or wanted individuals from entering our city,” said Bess. “We will have Miami-Dade County and Miami (police) bike patrol officers on patrol.”
Certain residential areas will also be blocked off to visitors to preserve residents’ quality of life.
“We have added law enforcement there to ensure the quality of life of residents is not compromised,” Bess added.
Ettore Sabela, a manager for the Birdcage Cafe in South Beach, is hopeful there will be less violence in the city this year.
“Spring break was a success. We didn’t have any problems. So Memorial Day weekend is going to be even better,” said Sabella.
The main event in Miami Beach will be the Hyundai Air and Sea Show as well as free public events that include military equipment that spans five city blocks and what is expected to be a spectacular Saturday evening music and fireworks show.
“Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 6 p.m., you can watch the show anywhere from Government Cut to 21st Street,” said Executive Producer of National Salute to America’s Heroes Mickey Markoff.
“We will be bringing in the army band, symphony, disc jockeys, and the Golden Knights are going to do a nighttime pyro jump. Come down to the beach and enjoy your military,” said Markoff.
Click here for more information on transportation, parking zones/ prices, and events that you can attend in Miami Beach during Memorial Day weekend.