National
North Miami Police Use Faces of Black Men as Targets
North Miami police used booking photos of six black men target practice, including Woody Deant, bottom center, when he was 18 years old. (Photo: WTVJ-TV screen grab)
(USA Today) – North Miami Beach police are facing criticism for using mug shots of black suspects for target practice.
One of the six bullet-riddled faces was the brother of a Florida National Guard sergeant, who was shocked when she arrived at the gun range after police snipers last month, according to WTVJ-TV. Her brother had served four years in prison for a fatal drag race as a teenager, but turned his life around after his release in 2004.
North Miami Beach Police J. Scott Dennis defended his sniper team, which he said includes minority officers. No policies were violated, no racial profiling was involved and none of the officers would be disciplined, he said.
He acknowledged, however, that they could have used better judgment, because one target — Woody Deant — had been arrested by his department and “would be someone that was on the streets of North Miami Beach.”
