Miami Beach Strikes Deal With Cops Over GPS Tracking In Bid to Revamp Bruised Reputation

Michael E. Miller January 10, 2013 8:00AM

[
          {
            "name": "Related Stories / Support Us Combo",
            "component": "12278355",
            "insertPoint": "4",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "6"
          },{
            "name": "Air - Billboard - Inline Content",
            "component": "12278351",
            "insertPoint": "2/3",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "7"
          },
          
          {
            "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size 2",
            "component": "12278352",
            "insertPoint": "12",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "12"
          },{
            "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size 2",
            "component": "12278352",
            "insertPoint": "4th",
            "startingPoint": "16",
            "requiredCountToDisplay": "12"
          }
          
            ,{
              "name": "RevContent - In Article",
              "component": "13536732",
              "insertPoint": "3/5",
              "requiredCountToDisplay": "5"
            }
          
        ]

When Miami Beach cop Derick Kuilan ditched his police ATV for some drinks at The Clevelander, his superiors were none the wiser (although maybe they should have been). As a result, Kuilan drunkenly jumped back on his ride with a bride-to-be and nearly killed a couple of beachgoers.

Now cops are close to implementing a high-tech system that could prevent incidents like that July 3, 2011 crash. In an interview with Riptide, Miami Beach Police Chief Ray Martinez said the city had reached an agreement with the police union to activate GPS trackers already installed in cops' squad cars.

"Just the fact that [the GPS tracker] is there, and that the officers know that it's there, has changed behavior for the positive," Martinez said.

See also:
- GPS Trackers Installed in Miami Beach City Vehicles, But Cops Refuse to Turn Them On

KEEP MIAMI NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started Miami New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.

Make a one-time donation today for as little as $1.

Michael E. Miller was a staff writer at Miami New Times for five years. His work for New Times won many national awards, including back-to-back-to-back Sigma Delta Chi medallions. He now covers local enterprise for the Washington Post.

Contact: Michael E. Miller