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1/10/79
CITY COMMISSION
MEETING OF
FEB 221979
ORDINANCE NO.
2n0 READING
ORDINANCE NO.
CITY COMMISSION
MEETING OF
MAR- 3 NiV
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING SECTION 56-30 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
BY REQUIRING A PERMANENT INSTALLATION OF A
BULLET -RESISTANT PLATE OR PARTITION ISOLATING
THE DRIVER FROM THE REAR SEAT PASSENGER AREA
IN ALL TAXICABS WHICH OPERATE UNDER A CERTIFI-
CATE ISSUED BY THE CITY; FURTHER SPECIFYING
THE DETAILS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
PARTITION OR PLATE; CONTAINING A REPEALER
PROVISION, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, taxicabs are particularly vulnerable to robberies
and thereby subject taxicab drivers to great personal and physical
danger; and
WHEREAS, it is physically impossible to provide complete
continuous police protection to cab drivers;
and
WHEREAS, cab driver associations have declared their belief
that a bullet -resistant partition separating the passenger area
from the driver area of their taxicabs would provide significant
protection for the personal safety of the taxicab driver;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: �- C
Section 1. Section 56-30 of the Code of the City of Miami,
Florida,
1/
lars:—
as amended, is hereby amended in the following particu-
"DOCUMENT INDEX
"Sec. 56-30. Requirements for vehicles. ITEM NO /6
* * * *
A.
B.
C.(1) Each taxicab which is operated under a
certificate issued by the city shall have the following
equipment:
(i) Except as provided in subsection (ii) of
paragraph C. (1) hereof, a plate or partition of clear
glass or clear plastic shall be permanently mounted
inside the vehicle behind the entire front seat thereof,
extending downward from the interior of the vehicle roof
to a point not less than 4 inches above the vehicle floor
1/ Underscored words and/or figures constitute the amendment
proposed. Remaining provisions are now in effect and remain
unchanged. Asterisks indicate omitted and unchanged material.
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7 ,. 49ESCV4/7 --i 79- /7 /
• •
and kxtending outward from each side of the floor seat
so as to leave no more than a 2 inch space between each
interior side of the vehicle and the outer edge of the
plate or partition along its entire length on both
sides of the plate or partition.
(ii) The portion of the said protective plate
or partition which covers the backrest area of the front
seat (top to bottom - side to side) may be made of
steel, clear glass or clear plastic.
(iii) The protective plate or partition des-
cribed in C.(1) and (ii) above must be bullet
resistant in that it offers a standard protection level
capable of stopping or significantly deflecting a bullet
from a .45 caliber weapon when fired at a distance of
no more than 24 inches.
(iv) Every bullet -resistant partition shall be
equipped with a built-in cash exchange cup that will
allow the passenger to pay from the passenger compartment
without requiring the driver to slide open the protective
partition or exit the vehicle.
(2) Each such taxicab shall exhibit a decal or sign
on the surface of the protective plate or partition
facing the rear passenger compartment area of said
plate or partition. The sign or decal shall contain
the following in red luminous letters 1/2 inch in
height:
THIS PARTITION IS BULLET RESISTANT.
(3) (i) It shall be unlawful for any person to
operate or permit anyone to operate any taxicab for
which a certificate has been issued by the city without
said vehicle being equipped with a protective plate or
partition as set forth herein.
(ii) It shall be unlawful for any person to
operate or permit anyone to operate any taxicab for
which a certificate has been issued by the city without
said vehicle displaying the herein described decal or
sign."
Section 2. All ordinances, code sections or parts thereof
in conflict herewith, insofar as they are in conflict, are
hereby repealed.
Section 3. If any section, sentence, clause, phrase,
or word of this ordinance is for any reason held or declared
to be unconstitutional, inoperative or void, such invalidity
shall not affect the remaining portion of this ordinance.
ninim1I Valli
• •
Sec V on 4. The provisions of this ordinance shall become
effective do June 1, 1979.
PASSED ON FIRST READING BY TITLE ONLY, this day of
, 1979.
PASSED AND ADOPTED ON SECOND AND FINAL READING BY TITLE
ONLY this
ATTEST:
day of , 1979.
MAURICE A. FERRE, MAYO R
RALPH G. ONGIE, CITY CLERK
PREPARED AND APPROVED BY:
ROBERT F. CLARK, ASSISTANT CIT TOR�JEY
APPRAS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS:
GEO'G. KNOX, JR., t4 ATTORNEY
p
FLORIDA
1
INT?=it•Ci r IC:: ':1EMORANCJUtv1
TO:
Joseph R. Grassie
City Manager
FEB 9 197
LEG 9-2
:.. ,.,,,c, Proposed Taxicab Ordinances
tn*Ait flavyw)
FROM. 4EiCHENGES.
Kenneth I. Harms
Chief of Police
L'NCLGSURCs. (2)
1
1
Attached is a draft of an ordinance that requires all taxicabs
licensed to do business in the City be equipped with a bullet -
resistant shield between the driver's area and the passenger
compartment. This ordinance has been prepared at the request
of Mayor Ferre.
Current information indicates that bullet -resistant partitions
do not have a significant effect in reducing the incidence of
robbery, since the device may be easily circumvented.
The Department has taken the position that the installation of
drop safes in the taxicab fleet would be the most cost-effective
method of reducing the number of robberies of cab drivers.
The ordinance requiring drop safes should be amended, prior to
second reading, by deleting the word "case hardened". We
have been advised by industry representatives that a case
hardened safe would be too brittle and could be broken into.
KIH:mm