The publication reported that the City of Miami will no longer receive the $60 million the Biden administration allocated to help reunite neighborhoods cut off by transportation infrastructure decades ago. The Underdeck, a 33-acre park under the new elevated I-395 as part of the Signature Bridge Project, was one of more than 130 projects slated to receive funding. According to the project description, the park will reunite Overtown (after highway construction divided the neighborhood in the '60s). The city and the Florida Department of Transportation planned to cover the remaining $23 million to build the park.
As of Tuesday, the post had more than 1,000 comments. However, one comment stood out.
"We are supposed to be mad that the Federal Gov isn't allocating millions for a park under a highway bridge in the hood? 😂😭," the remark from user @goodshepherdncompany reads.
The account appears to belong to Golden Beach Police Department officer Dylan Vicioso. A review of the Instagram page features photos of Vicioso's K-9 and police vest.
In response to another comment, @goodshepherdncompany reiterated, "60 million is too much for an under bridge hood park. I don't care about the history. Thanks for your thoughts tho."
According to an interview on a shoe company's website, Vicioso is a Florida native who served 12 years in the U.S. Air Force.
"I served as a federal reserve police officer and K-9 handler," the Woobies website reads. "Now working full time as police K-9 officer at the Golden Beach Police Department, within Miami-Dade County. My partner K9 Lira is an outstanding Police dog and has held five national and federal explosive detection certifications."
The site says Vicioso’s goals are “to help however I can, learn more, love more, forgive more, work hard, and pray harder.”
Vicioso had not returned a request for comment at the time of publication.
New Times is awaiting word from the Golden Beach Police Department on whether it knows of Vicoso's comments on social media. Meanwhile, a Miami-Dade resident filed a complaint with the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office regarding the comments, according to an email obtained by New Times.
