POLICE
By Paul Scicchitano
Deputy Miami Beach Police Chief Wayne Jones, told MB he believes online reporting is a logical expansion of police services — and not just during the pandemic. He said the service will be particularly useful for residents and visitors who simply need to file a report for insurance purposes. “I really believe that we’re in a customer service business,” Jones said. “With the expansion of online access to just about anything and everything — it seems very natural that we in the police department sort of evolved into a customer service provider that allows folks the convenience of filing reports online from the comfort of their homes — from a park bench if they wanted to. We need to evolve in that direction to better improve our customer service.”
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hat do taxes, late night pizza deliveries and Miami Beach police reports all have in common? Answer: You can now manage all three from the comfort of your living room with a computer or smart device. “Before you had the online option of filing reports it was a traditional method,” Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department said of the agency’s new online reporting service that debuted earlier this year. “When I say traditional, you’d have to call police,” Rodriguez explained. “You flag down an officer on the street, or you come into our police station — and at the front desk — you are able to speak with an officer and file that report.” That’s no longer the case for several types of nonemergency reports that can be filed entirely online at www.yourmbpd.com. Those same reports can also be filed by telephone, according to Rodriguez. “They call dispatch and that call gets routed to an officer at our front desk,” he said. “The officer then calls folks back in between taking reports from those who walk into the police department.” The types of reports that can be filed online or by telephone include registering a bicycle, submitting a crime tip, reporting a neighborhood concern, reporting lost property, listing additional stolen items to a previously filed report, theft reports, traffic complaints, reporting civil disputes or even asking MBPD to increase patrols around your home while you are on vacation.
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MB magazine | Spring 2021
Rodriguez said the department will continue to expand available online reporting options, but it may take time for the new service to catch on with the public. “One of our challenges is making the community aware we offer this service,” he said. “During the initial rollout we limited the types of reports that could be filed online. With the additional reporting categories, we are sure the public will benefit and it will in turn free up officers for more proactive police work.” Residents and visitors will now also be able to file reports pertaining to landlord-tenant disputes and harassing phone calls. People who use the online interface will be subject to the same reporting laws as those filing in-person reports. “We’re in the business of responding to emergencies,” Rodriguez said. “There’s always going to be types of calls where an online report just isn’t an option. For example, if you had your home broken into. That’s never going to be an option. We always need to have an officer respond to the crime scene and, gather critical evidence.” To view the available online reports, visit www.yourmbpd.com. Select “Services” from the top menu. Then choose “File a Report.” You’ll see a list of available reports. Next, select “Click Here to File a Report” at the bottom of the page. You will receive a message that you are leaving the city of Miami Beach website and being transferred to a third-party website. Select “Continue” to begin. Finally, choose the type of report you would like to file and select “Start Report” at the bottom of the page to get started.
