NORTH MIAMI, Fla. (WSVN) — North Miami Police and the City of North Miami are making changes after a gun was left unattended in the lobby of the North Miami Police Department for hours.
According to reports, in early December, a man walked into the North Miami Police Department, at around 2 a.m., holding a gun he found, wanting to turn it in. The man walked over to the unattended front desk with his arms stretched out and called dispatch, which is located on an upper floor. He was put on hold, said police, and after waiting decided to leave the gun and a loaded clip on the desk. The gun was not found until 7 a.m., according to reports.
Since the incident, North Miami Police have taken immediate action to make sure something like this never happens again. "We’ve gotten the new camera system that’s there and running, so once someone comes up to the door, it starts recording, and it sends an alarm to dispatch to let them know that someone is coming into the station," said Officer Natalie Buisserith.
Besides the cameras, the department will be hiring personnel to watch the lobby and address anyone who walks into the building. "We have no choice but to own it. It is our police department, and it did happen," said North Miami Interim City Manager Arthur Sorey. "The positive part is that we addressed the issue, and we’re moving forward."
Officials called the incident an eye-opener, saying they realized there were things that needed to be changed and acted accordingly.