Photo courtesy of policemotorunits.com

MIAMI – The North Miami Beach Police Department is no longer accredited for failing to meet standards imposed by the Commissioner for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.

The CFA makes sure police departments throughout Florida operate with consistency, transparency and accountability.

The leadership shakeup in the police department also contributed to the CFA’ decision to take away its accreditation, which is the first for North Miami since 1997.

Former Police Chief Harvette Smith retired in January after being placed on administrative leave amid an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) for allegedly falsifying documents.

FDLE cleared her of any wrongdoing.

Despite the accreditation setback, North Miami Beach Mayor Michael Joseph, in a statement, praised the department’s ongoing work in his recent State of the City address.

He noted that crime in the city has dropped to a four-year low and highlighted the department’s implementation of advanced tools like the drone program, which provides real-time aerial feedback during active incidents.