PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – From the first day of spring break, Miami Beach has sometimes resembled a wild party zone inside a police state.
That law enforcement effort has been heavy-handed at times, but effective with more than 1,000 arrests being made.
There have been more than 100 guns seized as well.
The downside has been many businesses and restaurants being forced to close due to damage and an 8 p.m. curfew.
There is also a perception that the large police response is race-related, and that’s the focus this week.
Miami Beach’s mayor and police chief categorically deny those accusations.
Stephen Johnson, chair of Miami-Dade County’s Black Advisory Board, and Glendon Hall, chair of Miami Beach’s Black Affairs Advisory Committee, do not believe what the mayor and police chief are saying.
They joined This Week in South Florida hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg to discuss, and their conversation can be seen at the top of this page.