November 2021

The North Miami Police Department’s “Officer of the Month” for November 2021 is Officer Alfred Bryant, who is a 12-year veteran of the North Miami Police Department, assigned to the Uniform Patrol Section on the Midnight Shift. He is being recognized for his courage and professionalism in the protection of the North Miami community. Officer Bryant was nominated by Sergeant Karel Rodriguez for the following case:

On Monday, October 18th, 2021, at approximately 03:38 am, Officer Bryant proactively patrolled the residential area east of Biscayne Boulevard on Northeast 123 Street with his cruise lights activated. While patrolling the area, Officer Bryant was flagged down by a frantic homeowner, who informed him that his two (2) kayaks were stolen from the boat dock behind his residence. Officer Bryant immediately began to gather crucial information while keeping the victim calm. Knowing that the subjects may still be in the area, he immediately checked the areas adjacent to the waterways. While Officer Bryant was canvassing the area, he observed a white Ford F-150 parked near the jetty on the south side of the Broad Causeway. Typically, this would not be of great concern, but Officer Bryant knew a vehicle parked at that location around 04:00 am was suspicious. As Officer Bryant moved closer to the vehicle, he observed two (2) kayaks in the truck's bed and three (3) additional kayaks on the ground next to the truck. Officer Bryant then stealthily approached the truck with the well-founded belief that those were the stolen kayaks. He then encountered a male and female subject standing near the kayaks in the truck's bed. Both subjects, realizing they were caught off guard, tried to convince Officer Bryant that they owned the kayaks and tested them for buoyancy before selling them online. The subjects could not provide a legitimate reason as to the purpose of their presence in the area and why they were in possession of so many kayaks. Their explanation did not dispel Officer Bryant's alarm that criminal activity was occurring, and their stories made no sense.

Recognizing that he possibly had the subjects of the stolen kayaks in front of him, Officer Bryant requested additional units to respond to his location to assist with his investigation. While waiting for his backup units to arrive, Officer Bryant kept a calm demeanor so the subjects would believe their false story was working. He maintained a safe distance from the subjects while secretly controlling the situation. Once the backup units arrived, Officer Bryant used his investigative experience to separate the subjects before reading them their Miranda Warning. Although the subjects claimed they owned the kayaks and were testing them out, Officer Bryant knew that the couple was lying to him. Officer Bryant's investigative experience and persistent questioning eventually paid dividends as both subjects confessed to their brazen crime spree. Both subjects were immediately taken into custody. Officer Bryant's initial instincts and swift action, guided by his investigative experience, led to the two (2) daring subjects being initially detained. His determination capped his initial efforts with a confession from both subjects. His keen instincts resulted in two (2) arrests and the return of several highly valued kayaks. Officer Bryant exemplified the North Miami Police Department motto of "Making a Positive Impact."