North Miami Beach: Shmira Patrol Work With Police to Keep City Safe

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. With badges, Blackberries, uniforms and yamulkes, at any given night a group of beefed-up crime-watchers called the Shmira Patrol has a handful of volunteers cruising the streets in North Miami Beach.

“A lot of the people involved with us are business owners,” said member Yona Lunger.

“If we all helped the community, it would be a better place,” another member said.

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There’s only one official marked Shmira car. On Tuesday night, Local 10 rode along with two of the 64 unpaid volunteers.

“This vehicle is used as a deterrent,” Lunger said.

In Hebrew, Shmira means “protection”

Members say that’s their goal. They say they protect the whole community, not just Jewish residents.

They also say they never apprehend suspects or interfere with police work.

“Hello, how are you? You guys having fun?” Lunger said to a group of teens on the street.

“Does anybody ever confuse you with a police officer at all?” Janine Stanwood asked Lunger.

“Does my face give you a police officer look?” he laughed.

Shmira members say they work well with police in North Miami Beach Police and Miami-Dade, and some detectives say they like Shmira’s gusto.

Lunger shared a photo taken last month as police took down a burglary suspect near NE 169th Street and Sixth Avenue.

In another photo, a Shmira member can be seen moments later with police. Volunteers said they called in the tip.

“The police department had them in custody in approximately three minutes,” Lunger said.

Lunger believes, because of their vigilance, crime has gone down.