Here comes The Fuzz: Plantation Police rock band hits the beat for community outreach – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

(WSVN) – We are launching a new feature on 7News. Every Friday, we’ll spotlight the people who make South Florida the special place it is. Tonight, we present to you a group of officers who come together to make music and bond with their community. Kevin Ozebek highlights them in tonight’s 7 Spotlight.

From patrolling the streets to knocking down beats, a squad of South Florida police officers do more than protect and serve.

Lt. Rudy Brown, Plantation Police Department: “Obviously by day I’m a policeman, but at night I also play with a band.”

Meet Lt. Rudy Brown, the founder and drummer of the Plantation Police Department band, also known as…

Lt. Rudy Brown: “The Fuzz.”

The Fuzz has been a passion project of Lt. Brown for years, ever since he started working for the department in 2007.

But the idea took off when she was offered a new opportunity at work.

Lieutenant Rudy Brown: “I have been put in charge of our new Community Engagement Unit. I was like, ‘Finally, this is my opportunity to start this band!’

Lt. Brown convinced his superiors that a group could help the unit interact with the community. With their approval, he recruited the members he needed.

Officer Cris Palmieri spent years in a rock band before joining the Plantation Police Department. When he told Lt. Brown about his past, it wasn’t long before he found himself behind the microphone.

Officer Cris Palmieri, Plantation Police Department: “And it just happened.”

Lt. Brown then gathered a few more members.

Lieutenant Rudy Brown: “Officer Jeff Beauregard.

Plantation Police Department Officer Jeff Beauregard, singing, “Those were the best days of my life!”

Lieutenant Rudy Brown: “Officer Chris Powell.

Lieutenant Rudy Brown: “Officer Paul Cunningham.

With the addition of bassist and City of Plantation IT employee Marcus Hurt, The Fuzz was formed in 2021.

The group trains weekly at the department’s Community Outreach Center in the Broward Mall.

Lt. Rudy Brown: “We get a lot of good reactions from people who walk past our window. They’re just really surprised that we’re policemen playing music.

They say the crowd reaction is always fun to see.

Officer Cris Palmieri: “Usually it’s jaw dropping. It’s the ‘What?’

According to Lt. Brown, The Fuzz has become the department’s most important and creative way to engage the community.

Lt. Rudy Brown: “It has been an invaluable tool in achieving that goal. Most of it is that it’s about humanizing the badge.

It shows how law enforcement and the people they serve can connect through music.

Officer Cris Palmieri: “When I go on stage, they don’t look at me and say, ‘Oh, there’s a policeman.’ They say, ‘There is a musician.’ »

Thanks to a few officers who have a lot of musical talent, this department is reaching out to the community.

If you know of someone, a group or a place that we should spotlight, email us at [email protected]. We would love to hear from you.

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