A North Miami Beach police department is under fire, after being caught using criminal mugshots for target practice at a gun range often used for officer training. In an unbelievable coincidence, during a December visit to the range Sgt. Valerie Deant discovered that not only were the mugshots of minority offenders being used, one of the photos posted was that of her own brother, who had been arrested over 15 years ago in connection with a drag race.
Said Deant, “I was like why is my brother being used for target practice? There were like gunshots there and I cried a couple of times.”
According to the Medley Firearms Training Center, the venue is often leased to local law enforcement agencies, who are allowed to choose their own target photos.
Though many are outraged at the racial implications of the act, North Miami Beach Police Chief J. Scott Dennis has denied that race played a part stating “Our policies were not violated. There is no discipline forthcoming from the individuals who were involved with this.”
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