It’s no secret that North Miami Police Chief Leonard Burgess is no fan of the media.  It obviously irks him to no end when “nosy” reporters start asking too many questions.

Especially about shootings and murders and all that.

I guess we should cut him some slack.  He’s a busy man.  He already has enough on his plate attending photo ops for the North Miami Police Facebook page.

And besides, how can he possibly convince the Mayor and Council that crime stats are low with all those damn shootings every other day?

It certainly doesn’t help matters when meddlesome reporters come snooping around with all their whiny demands for information.

How can he enjoy all the perks of his position if everyone keeps annoying him and expecting him to do his job?

As was already “reported” via tweet by WSVN Channel 7’s reporter Rosh Lowe, there was a double homicide in North Miami at 12:55 p.m. on April 12, 2015.

Yet, mum’s the word from the North Miami Police Department.

Regardless of Police Chief Leonard Burgess’ aversion to the media, releasing information about a double homicide is A MATTER OF PUBIC SAFETY.

According to the North Miami Police Report Summary dated April 13, 2015, which had to be pried from the clutches of the Police Department, “it is unknown at this time who the possible shooters were.”

OH, REALLY?

So, the shooter or shooters of two victims ARE ON THE LOOSE and apparently ARMED AND DANGEROUS!

And the Chief of Police hasn’t even seen fit to advise North Miami residents that THEIR LIVES ARE AT RISK!

Seriously, Lenny?

NOT ONE WORD TO ALERT THE PUBLIC?

Obviously Chief Burgess is doing everything in his power to keep this story under wraps as long as possible.

After all, murders adversely affect crime stats.

An equally important question on the minds of local reporters is why were the victims’ names redacted from the police report?

There are only two reasons police departments withhold the names of homicide victims.  The first is if the victims are minors, and the second is if the families have not yet been notified.  Neither applies in this case.

Much to the Chief’s relief, I imagine, the double homicide was overshadowed by yesterday’s big news about a shooting spree that started in the City of Miami and ended with the suspect being shot and arrested in North Miami.

I’m guessing that Chief Lenny and his cronies practically wet themselves with excitement about being able to take credit for an arrest all because some criminal got lost in North Miami on his way to Aventura.  Another few blocks and it would have been NMB’s collar.  That he ended up in Sans Souci is about as random as it gets.

Unlike North Miami’s Public Information Office, the City of Miami’s spokesperson Frederica Burden issued a press release, spoke to the media, and released not only the names of the victim and suspect, but also the name of the good Samaritan who saved the life of a police officer.

The North Miami Police Department wouldn’t even release the name of the one victim in North Miami who did get shot.  Officer Natalie Buissereth told Channel 7, “He shot randomly at one of the women in the area in our city. She was the one that was struck.  She did receive non-life threatening injuries, and to my understanding she’s doing OK.”

If reporters are waiting for an official press release on the Sunday morning double homicide, I imagine they’ll be cooling their heels for a while.

Murders made public can damage the smokescreen image that Chief Lenny wants to portray that everything’s just peachy keen.

After all, “the Crime Index Rating is the same as the City of Aventura.”

Ping pong, anyone?

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”