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Miramar police report rising staffing, mixed crime trends and publish open-carry public service announcement
Summary
Police Chief Delrish Moss told the City Commission that officer hiring has improved, several crime categories have fallen while aggravated assaults rose, and the department released a public service announcement explaining recent changes to Florida open-carry law and local limits.
Chief Delrish Moss updated the Miramar City Commission on police staffing, crime trends and public messaging about a recent court decision on open carry.
Moss said department staffing has increased since his 2023 arrival: the department headcount rose from about 230 to 242 with 95 officers in uniform patrol, and he expects roughly 250 total employees and about 105 in uniform patrol by year’s end. He noted declines in several property-crime categories while reporting an increase in aggravated assaults and batteries tied largely to domestic situations.
The chief also played a recorded public service announcement explaining a state appeals-court ruling that found Florida’s ban on open carry unconstitutional. Moss told residents the ruling allows eligible citizens to openly carry firearms but stressed there remain restrictions — firearms are still prohibited in schools, courthouses and other restricted locations, and private-property owners and businesses may ask armed individuals to leave. “If you choose to carry, do it legally and responsibly,” Moss said in the PSA.
Moss outlined technology the department is using or evaluating to help officers: ShotSpotter for gunfire detection, Flock (an automated license-plate recognition system) for tracking stolen vehicles, mobile forensic extraction tools to assist investigations, Clearview AI facial-recognition software to help narrow suspect lists, and a planned real-time intelligence center. He said the department is also exploring drone-first-responder uses and technologies that consolidate searches across police databases to speed investigations.
Commissioners asked for clarification on specific tools. Commissioner Avril Sherazard asked how a cellphone-dump tool (referred to in the presentation as "cell bright") is used; Moss said it helps determine whether a suspect’s phone was in an area of interest without disclosing operational details. Commissioner Carson "Eddie" Edwards asked how the open-carry PSA is being distributed; Moss said it is posted on the department and city social media platforms and that community-resource officers are briefing businesses and homeowners associations. Vice Mayor Yvette Colburn and others praised the outreach and officer training on the law change.
Moss cautioned that month-to-month crime data fluctuate and that the department will continue to publish periodic updates. He invited further questions and said the department will continue training and public education as legal and policy conditions evolve.
