Miami Beach Won't Rat Out Students On Spring Break

MIAMI BEACH, FL -- It turns out that whatever happens in Miami Beach really does happen, at least for six college students whose schools got letters from the Miami Beach Police Department in recent weeks informing them of some of the less than studious pursuits their future pillars of society engaged in during spring break.

Police Chief Daniel Oates reluctantly walked back his plan to send more letters Thursday after elected officials balked at the idea, which threatened the very foundation of spring break debauchery that's been built up over generations dating back more than half a century to Connie Francis who immortalized the annual rite in "Where the Boys Are."

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Oates said he had good intentions when he asked his officers to start collecting school information as they arrested students for disorderly conduct, public drunkenness and other offenses.

"The intended purpose of this method was to work closer with the universities to encourage their support and guidance with their students to ensure their proper behavior when on spring break," Oates insisted. "In light of the concerns and feedback we have received, moving forward we have decided that we will not be including this information in the arrest reports or sending it to the universities."

Miami Beach Commissioner Ricky Arriola told Patch that elected officials were never briefed before Oates began sending out the letters.

"It was a surprise to elected officials,” the commissioner explained. "I immediately knew it was a bad idea."

For one thing, the students hadn't necessarily been convicted of anything, only arrested.

"There's due process in this country. And to go and notify a school that someone's been arrested, I don't know what purpose that serves," Arriola said. "Certainly, it is a stigma on a student. There's no need to do that. These students are college students. They're adults. We don't do this for any other adult that's arrested in this city."

Watch the informational spring break video prepared by Miami Beach police:

The letters were part of an expanded campaign this year to encourage good behavior among the throngs of young fun seekers who have been buried in books -- and in many cases snow -- back in their home towns and dorm rooms.

Oates maintains it was never his intention to stigmatize students who visit his urban resort island. Click here for traffic changes and security measures around spring break.

"I have now had the opportunity to consult with leaders in the community and am aware that this is being perceived as unfair and perhaps unnecessarily damaging to students," Oates added. "This was certainly never our intention."

Here is one of the letters sent to a university president in Virginia in which the names have been removed:

On March 9, 2019 .... (date of birth) ... was arrested by the Miami Beach Police Department during the "spring break" vacation period. Our best information is that ... may be a student who is enrolled at your institution.

While the city of Miami Beach welcomes all visitors to our city, one of the world's premier vacation destinations, we in the police department are determined to hold everyone accountable who breaks the law. We have had challenges with the behavior of some spring break vacationers here for many years. We are determined to change this. So we are making a deliberate effort to hold students accountable who break the law.

We are asking for the assistance of everyone involved in these students' lives to help us educate and encourage them to engage in proper, civil behavior in our city and elsewhere. Toward this end, if you determine that ... is one of your students, we ask that you take whatever steps you deem necessary to hold him accountable within the rules of your institution. Attached is the arrest report prepared regarding this incident.

Should you have any questions about this matter, please contact ...for further assistance.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Daniel J. Oates
Chief of Police