Latest news with #MiamiGardensPoliceDepartment
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Opa-locka's new police chief aims to strengthen community ties, bring in officers who "make a difference"
Opa-locka's newest police chief spoke exclusively with CBS News Miami, saying she wants to improve relations with the community and hire "good law enforcement officers who are going to make a difference in the community." Robin Starks, who was named police chief on Monday after serving for a while as interim police chief, will be supervising 45 officers in the city of 19,000 people. She has been in law enforcement for 34 years, including 27 years with the Miami Police Department and six years with the Miami Gardens Police Department. Starks told CBS News Miami, "It is an honor to represent the city where I have been appointed, as it is very historical. It is a place where I am very familiar with, and I have family that lives around here, so it is good to be able to give back." Starks, who grew up in Miami Gardens, has two sons. "While I have gone through the ranks at various positions, being able to put your heart and soul into something you have a passion for is honorable and very rewarding," she said. She said, "My goal is to transition into a more positive light with the police department, creating an environment where we work as a family and communicate with the public, where we can collaborate with our business owners and stakeholders. It also means a lot to bring in good law enforcement officers who are going to make a difference in our community." She said new approaches are needed. Starks said, "We are going to have more active engagement with the community. We are in the process of developing a bike squad, and I am going to go out and ride bicycles. We also have improved training, and we have departments coming into our city to use the department for training." Starks said, "I think I have a great foundation where I am able to share my knowledge, having worked with all aspects of Miami police; that was a huge stepping stone." She also said they are working on programs to encourage more people to come forward to help them solve crimes. "One of the things we are working on is developing a system called TIPS 411," she said. "We also have a great collaboration with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office and are very interactive with what we need in the city. We want to change the perception of Opa-locka and move ahead being positive." CBS News Miami also spoke exclusively with City Manager Sha'Mecca Lawson, who said, "I think she will be able to take the department forward, and she has shown as interim chief how we can move forward. It starts with leadership, so if we have great leaders, you will have officers in place and move in the right direction." She said, "I think our police officers need to make our community feel they are approachable, and they need to get out in the community and get to know the community and let the community know you. With that being said, ride with your windows down. Speak to residents and make them feel comfortable." Last September, CBS News Miami reported on how, as an Assistant Police Chief, Starks filed a whistleblower complaint against the former police chief and former city manager, saying individuals were improperly targeted, funds were misused and investigations were being interfered with. CBS News Miami was told the former police chief and city manager were no longer with the city. Starks said she did not want to talk about that case. In September 2023, CBS News Miami also reported that Starks sued the City of Miami Gardens, claiming she had been fired for blowing the whistle on alleged misconduct and inadequate officer training. Starks also said she did not want to talk about that case.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Yahoo
Amber Alert issued for missing 9-year-old from Miami Gardens. Have you seen him?
An Amber Alert has been issued for 9-year-old Liam Smith, who was reported missing from Miami Gardens on Tuesday, according to authorities. Liam was last seen in the area of 17700 block of Northwest 14th Avenue in Miami Gardens, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. He may be in the company of Tameeka Budwah, 45, and traveling in a 2024 black Honda Civic with license plate number RJVL88. Authorities said Liam could be heading north. He wore a light blue school uniform shirt, dark blue pants and black shoes. He has a scab under his eye, and is 4 feet and 90 pounds with black hair. According to court documents, Liam was at the center of a paternity suit and three other domestic violence civil cases between Budwah and Anton Smith. While all four cases have been closed, one did see new filings on Tuesday, the same day as the alleged abduction. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Miami Gardens Police Department at 305-474-2100.
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Miami Herald
22-04-2025
- Miami Herald
Amber Alert issued for missing 9-year-old from Miami Gardens. Have you seen him?
An Amber Alert has been issued for 9-year-old Liam Smith, who was reported missing from Miami Gardens on Tuesday, according to authorities. Liam was last seen in the area of 17700 block of Northwest 14th Avenue in Miami Gardens, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. He may be in the company of Tameeka Budwah, 45, and traveling in a 2024 black Honda Civic with license plate number RJVL88. Authorities said Liam could be heading north. He wore a light blue school uniform shirt, dark blue pants and black shoes. He has a scab under his eye, and is 4 feet and 90 pounds with black hair. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Miami Gardens Police Department at 305-474-2100.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Miami-Dade bus driver opens fire on 2 passengers after argument, shoots both dead: Reports
A Miami-Dade bus driver is accused of opening fire on a public transit bus and shooting two passengers dead after an argument, according to reports. On Sunday, at around 3 a.m. local time, two male passengers were involved in an argument when the bus driver opened fire, according to local news outlets CBS Miami and Local 10 News. A witness told local stations they heard around six gunshots at the time of the shooting. 'Preliminary investigations reveal that a Miami Dade Transit Bus driver was in a disturbance with passengers on the bus,' Diana Delgado, a Miami Gardens Police Department spokesperson, told local news station NBC6. More news: No survivors aboard plane that departed Iowa airport, crashed in Minnesota, police say The bus driver was taken into custody after the incident, according to CBS Miami. Police are still investigating why the driver opened fire on the passenger. The passengers were airlifted to the hospital, where they were pronounced dead, according to the news outlets. USA TODAY has reached out to Miami-Dade County and the Miami Gardens Police Department for comment. Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her- LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@ This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Miami-Dade bus driver shoots, kills 2 passengers: Reports
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Miami-Dade bus driver accused of killing two passengers. Was he allowed to be armed?
When bus operators take their place behind the wheel in Miami-Dade County, they're not allowed to bring firearms aboard. While concerns about violence is a top concern for bus operators across the country, particularly at night, county rules prohibit drivers from taking guns to work even if they're legally allowed to carry firearms, a county spokesperson said. 'Transit operators are not allowed to be armed,' said Juan Mendieta, a spokesperson for Miami-Dade's Department of Transportation and Public Works. Early Sunday morning, police said, a county bus driver fatally shot two passengers after what authorities said was an argument between the driver and at least one of the passengers. READ MORE: Two people dead after shooting that involved a Miami-Dade bus driver, police say Two people briefed on the shooting, which took place shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, said the operator was in a dispute with one passenger about a bike. Passengers with bicycles must place them on racks installed on the front of county buses. It's not known whether the dispute involved both passengers who were shot dead by the operator. The passengers and the operator have not been named by police. The Miami Gardens Police Department's homicide unit is investigating the shootings, and the agency had not announced charges as of early Sunday afternoon. The incident appeared to involve Miami-Dade's No. 77 bus, which runs all night between Miami Gardens and the Government Center transit station in downtown Miami. The 77 is one of the busiest bus routes in the county, with average weekday ridership of about 10,000 riders. That drops down to about 4,000 riders on an average Sunday. In a statement, the county's transit union called the shootings 'a heartbreaking situation for everyone involved.' 'We are devastated by the tragic events that unfolded in Miami Gardens and extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,' read the statement from the Transport Workers Union Local 291, which represents transit operators. 'The safety of both our operators and the riding public is and always will be our highest priority.'
