Miami-Dade mayor promises police crackdown on distancing rules during ‘day of action’

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez promised a “day of action” Wednesday by police and code enforcement inspectors to make businesses and residents comply with emergency orders for people to keep their distances from each other.

“I’ve been hearing again and again we’re still not having 100 percent compliance. So today becomes a day of action,” Gimenez said in the latest video address that he’s been using to communicate details about decrees the mayor has issued under emergency powers, including requirements for social distancing. “Six feet between people is not a suggestion. This is now the rule of law.”

His message highlighted the challenges of issuing unprecedented restrictions on commerce and interaction in a county of 2.7 million people. On Monday, Gimenez issued a video message warning too many people were assembling at take-out windows allowed to remain open under a March 17 order closing dining rooms, bars and other places to eat and drink inside.

“Some of the serving windows at restaurants, the so-called ventanitas, are very crowded,” Gimenez said Monday. “If this problem persists, we will be forced to take additional measures.”

In his latest video, Gimenez emphasized the county now requires six feet of distance between people inside businesses allowed to remain open, and on public streets. “Miami-Dade County police and our code enforcement officers are out in full force. They will be issuing warnings and shutting down repeat offenders,” Gimenez said.

This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 3:33 PM.