Officer of the Month the North Miami Police Department

The North Miami Police Department's "Officer of the Month" for April is Officer Steven Unmuth, who is currently assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division, midnight shift. Sergeant Donna Clarke nominated him after recognizing his tenacity and dedication to duty in the following case: For several months, persons have been stealing numerous backflow valves throughout the City. Each backflow is worth an verage of $1,500. Office Unmuth took special interest in this crime trend and has diligently searched searched for the person(s) responsible for those thefts.

For months he 'beat the bushes' looking for related suspicious activity, predominately on the west side of the City. On two occasions, Officer Unmuth was close to apprehending the suspect(s) while the crime was still in progress, discovering the thefts within minutes of their occurrence.

On February 16, 2008, at 0440 hours, Officer Unmuth spotted a black male riding a bicycle which matched the description of a subject that had previously stolen copper pipe from a business on the west side of the City. When the subject spotted Officer Unmuth, he made several evasive maneuvers in an attempt to flee. The subject was stopped, interviewed, and later arrested for loitering and prowling, as he failed to dispel officers' alarm and could not justify his reason for being in the area, coupled with the fact the he had attemped to elude Officer Unmuth.

When questioned further by a detective, the subject confessed to the theft of copper pipe. In addition, the subject showed the detective two separate locations where the copper pipe and backflow valves were being sold. This subject was subsequently charged with Grand Theft. In the four weeks since this arrest, there have not been any backflows stolen.

For this case, Office Unmuth was chosen as Officer fo the Month for April 2008, and will be honored at the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon, held monthly at the Miami Shores Country Club, on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 at Noon.

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