SOUTH MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - It’s a road to remember for a fallen Miami-Dade Police officer who lost his life in the line of duty.
Loved ones and Miami-Dade officials on Thursday participated in an unveiling ceremony. Southwest 211th Street in South Miami-Dade, from Southwest 112th Avenue to 117th Avenue, has been designated as Police Officer Jermaine Brown Way.
“We’re honoring an officer that not only gave his life, but gave his all,” said MDPD Director Freddy Ramirez. “Now he’s over all of us in this community.”
Officer Brown was a veteran of the MDPD who died on Dec. 12, 2018 while on duty.
Brown was responding to complaints of illegal activity while driving an ATV along a canal path.
That’s when the ATV struck a tree south of the intersection of South Dixie Highway and Southwest 211th Street.
Brown did not survive.
“For 15 years, eight months and three days, that’s the time frame that Sgt. Brown dedicated to the men and women of this great police department and to this community,” said Miami-Dade District 9 Commissioner Kionne McGhee.
Brown’s family said they’ve been speaking to McGhee to name a street after him for some time.
“I have been talking to this young man, Commissioner McGhee, for years about this day,” said Shirley Sanchez, Brown’s mother. “We talked about two months ago, he called me shortly after, ‘OK, Ms. Sanchez, it’s happening, February 16,’ so this is a proud day for me, my family.”
Now, loved ones say, his memory will live on.
“I’ve always wanted to keep his legacy alive, and now it’s gonna stay alive,” said Sgt. Jannene Howard Brown, the officer’s widow, “and to me, his sons, his daughters, his family, it’s an ultimate honor because Jermaine loves South District, and it’s an honor now that we’re gonna ride by and see his name.”
“Jermaine was a man that loved God first. Jermaine was a man that stood for what was right,” said Sanchez.
The reason the ceremony for the street renaming was held Thursday is because it would have been Brown’s 51st birthday.
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