Memo 013-2011 Update on Police Chief Recruitment MIA.Ml
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
#013 -2011
TO: Mayor Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission x
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FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager ;,Ti
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DATE: November 28, 2011 -- ---
SUBJECT: Update on Police Chief Recruitment
This memorandum is to provide an update on the Police Chief recruitment. Attached is
the September 27, 2011 memorandum that provides details and an overview of the full
recruitment process. .
As of November 23, 2011, the City has received 75 applications. Of these candidates,
there is a mix of senior level law enforcement individuals and a number of current or
former police chiefs from other jurisdictions. Although the City will continue to accept
applications, a comprehensive review and evaluation of each application has already
begun. This review is expected to be completed by early December 2011.
The telephone interviews described in the September 27, 2011 memorandum (attached)
are expected to be completed by mid- December 2011. From this telephone interview
process, candidates will be selected and invited to participate in the formal interview
process. These formal interviews will be with at least two panels which will include a mix
of individuals from throughout the community and the organization who have occasion to
interact with the Police Department and can provide valuable insight to the process.
This will ensure many different perspectives are taken into account. I have identified a
number of individuals to participate in the process and once we know which candidates
wily. be invited to interview, the panelists will be finalized and interviews will be
scheduled.
As mentioned in my memo of September 27, 2011, the final round of interviews and
other assessments are expected to be completed by the end of January 2012 to early
February 2012 with the selection 'of the Police Chief expected, to be made shortly
afterwards. Even though the City will have already conducted preliminary background
checks on the top candidates, once the final selection is made, a more thorough
background check, including references and other required steps, will be conducted prior
to the City Commission ratification.
Thee recruitment process and timeline described in the September 27, 2011 Memo is
aggressive and should yield a highly qualified and competent selection for the Chief of
Police. As previously mentioned, timelines are subject to change based on several
factors including how the process progresses.
If you need any additional information, please feel free to contact me.
JMG /RI
Attachment
F: \cmgr \$ALL \LTC 2011 \Memo Update on PD Chief Process 11 28 11.docx
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
MEMORANDUM
To: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the Co fission
From: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
Date September 27, 2011
Subject: Chief of Police Recruitment
The purpose of this memorandum is to provide .an overview of the recruitment process for the
City of Miami Beach Chief of Police. As you know, Chief Carlos Noriega- is in the DROP and will
separate from the City on December 31, 2011;
As discussed at the September 14, 2011 City Commission meeting, an internal /external
recruitment will be conducted to identify and select the next Chief of Police for 'Miami Beach. In
order to ensure a. fair and open recruitment, which will aid me in identifying - and selecting the
best candidate for the position, the process I intend to follow is outlined below.
As City Manager; l have conducted numerous executive level recruitments over the.past several
years and I '.have used a -variety. of methods to ensure that we fully evaluate prospective
candidates. "Typically, the City's recruitment process includes the. following phases: (1)
Recruitment (2) Evaluation and (3) Selection /Appointment. .
The process for the Police Chief recruitment will be similar to the City's standard process which
we have used for other senior level recruitments for department directors, including the two
most recent appointments — the CIP Director and Building Director. This process will include
input from many different perspectives and stakeholders to ensure that a - fair and unbiased
selection is made. Other elements may be incorporated to the process to help with the City's
recruitment efforts. Such a process .will help protect the City from any challenges that may arise
after the process is concluded from any non - selected candidate. The timelines described below
are subject to some fluctuation depending on how the process progresses.
Recruitment
The recruitment phase of the process is already underway and the City has already begun to
accept applications.
Before the recruitment phase began, the Human Resources Department updated the Police
Chief job description (as it had not been revised since 1997) to more accurately capture the
current nature of work essential duties, knowledge, skills and abilities and minimum
requirements of the position. Based on the _updated job description, a position announcement
was developed (attached). ;
This position announcement has been posted on the City's website and job boards and has
been submitted to the following organizations for posting on their respective websites and
.employment outlets:
• International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)
Florida Police Chiefs Association (FPCA) -
e Miami -Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police (MDCACP)
International City /County. Management Association (ICMA)
Florida City /County Management Association (FCCMA)
Miami -Dade City /County Management Association (MDCCMA)
In addition, the City will forward- the position announcement to contacts in the industry and ask
that the announcement be distributed to individuals- or groups that may be interested or may
know of individuals who may be interested. Human Resources will also identify candidates
through referrals, networking and available online services.
The position will be posted for two full months (from September 23, 2011 through November 23,
2011) to allow adequate time for prospective candidates to consider the opportunity and to
complete and submit an application to 'the City for consideration. Although the City will continue
to accept applications after this date, the evaluation phase will become the priority.
Evaluation
The City will continuously review and evaluate all applications as they are received. The
evaluation process includes the following:
1. Review of Qualifications
Initially, the Human Resources Department will screen applications. to ensure they meet 'the
minimum requirements of the position. In addition, the applications are sorted: into categories
based on their relative experience and whether meet the qualities described in the position
description. Following this initial review of paper qualifications, I also will personally review the
candidate applications.to determine an initial list of candidates who will be asked to participate
further in - the process. This is expected to be completed by early December 2011.
2. Telephone Interviews
The telephone interview is intended to reduce the initial list of potential candidates :down to a
more manageable number of candidates (usually between eight and twelve). An informal
interview with candidates is conducted to refine items .included in their application and get a
better understanding of their, unique skills, abilities and experience. A determination. is made as
to whether the candidate warrants continued consideration
At this time, . a determination is also made as to whether the overall pool. of candidates is
sufficiently acceptable and diverse enough that a selection can be made from the list and the
evaluation process. should continue. If not, the City .will expand recruitment efforts to attract
additional candidates. This is expected to be completed by'December 2011.
3. Panel Interviews
The next step involves inviting the candidates to come to the City for a structured panel
interview. At this step,.the process is much more formal. Specific questions are developed and
a .specific routine is followed. The panels will consist of - a- mix of individuals to ensure that we
get the benefit of many different perspectives. This step will identify more specifically the
candidate's technical abilities and other skills for the: position. This has, on some occasions,
included more than one panel ( "Internal" and "External" evaluators).
For this position, it is my intention to have at least two different panels interview the candidate
and give me their opinions. The panels will include individuals from the community who have a
particular perspective or who have occasion to interact with the Police Department and can
provide valuable insight to the process as well as internal individuals (employees) who interact
frequently with the Police Chief or Police Department,
The panel interview portion should reduce the candidate list down to the top three to five
candidates for further consideration. This is expected to be completed in early January 2012.
Selection /Appointment
Upon completion of the panel interviews, a short list of candidates will be identified and will be
further considered ' for selection. This process will include a final interview panel, as well as
other assessment tools to ensure that the candidate who is best qualified and is the best fit for
the community and the organization is identified.
Final Interview
I. will conduct one or more final interviews with the candidates. Typically, I will include others on
this panel to again, ensure a variety of perspectives in our consideration. At this stage,
management, leadership and personality traits are also considered. The aim is to ensure a
highly qualified candidate with not only the technical skills to do the job, but also someone who
has the appropriate other skills to succeed in our, community, our organization and our
environment. I expect that this step will be completed by the end of January 2012.
Other Assessments
Given the high degree of public contact that the Police Chief will have with our community,
would also expect to create an opportunity for our community (both resident and business) to
have an opportunity to meet and question the candidates. This exercise is still under
development but would entail a public meeting (or series of meetings) to give the broader
community an opportunity to g,ive 'me their thoughts and suggestions as I make my final
determination on selection. The expected completion for this is January..2012.
In addition to the process mentioned above, further, research and evaluation takes place. The,
short list -of candidates and /or final candidate will also have to go through a thorough
background check and criminal history check. A pre - employment .physical is conducted. I will
also conduct a series of reference checks on the final candidate to cross check and verify the
information we have collected and get to know the. candidate better. Finally, the salary, benefits
and start date negotiations are conducted. This is expected to be completed in early to mid
February 2012.
Commission Ratification
As the Police Chief position is a department director, the City Charter requires that the City
Commission consent to his /her appointment. It is my intention to introduce the selected
candidate to each-of you prior to the item being heard by the Commission. You each will have
..an 'opportunity to individually meet with, ask questions of and give your thoughts to me or to the
selected candidate prior to consenting to the appointment. This is expected to .take place at
either the February or March 2012 commission meeting (depending on dates and completion of
above process).
The recruitment process and timeline described above is aggressive and should yield a highly
qualified and competent selection for the Chief of Police. As previously mentioned, timelines
are subject to. change based. on several factors including- how the process progresses.
If you have any questions or need additional information regarding this issue, please feel free -to.
contact me directly or.Ramiro fnguanzo, Human Resources Director, at extension 6697.
F:cmgr /Jorge /Memo /Police Chief Recruitment
t
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
invites applications for the position of:
M +`EACI�1 B I -
[AIA] H
Pol Chief
EOE /AA /ADA /VET PREF
SALARY: $60.75 - $98.12 Hourly
$4,860.30 - $7,849.81 Biweekly
OPENING DATE: 09/22/11
CLOSING DATE: 11/23/11 05:00 PM
NATURE OF WORK:
Miami. Beach is a 24- hour /7- day -a -week; entertainment / residential full service community, encompassing
seven square miles, populated by approximately 90,000 year -round residents, but with a daily population of
nearly 200,000. Miami Beach's international appeal brings over 10 million tourists annually to its beaches,
restaurants, clubs, cultural facilities, convention center and other establishments.
The City of Miami Beach was incorporated in 191.5 and, operates on a Commission /City Manager form of
government. The Commission consists of an elected Mayor and six Commissioners who serve as the policy-
making body of the City. The City Manager ensures that policies, directives, resolutions and ordinances
adopted by the City Commission are enforced and implemented. The-City Manager is also charged with all the
daily operations of the City. All Department Directors, including the Police Chief; are .appointed by and report
to the City Manager.
The Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD) is responsible for the enforcement of all laws within the City
limits of Miami Beach. The MBPD has an annual budget of approximately $90 million and approximately 500
employees (of which approximately 370 are sworn officers). The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) represents
the non- command staff sworn employees and three other general employee unions represent most other
employees. The MBPD is one of approximately 20 citywide departments that all work together to accomplish.
the City's overall mission and vision.
The MBPD is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
(CALEA). Additionally, the MBPD is currently recognized as an elite "Flagship Agency," an accomplishment
attained by a limited number of police departments. Flagship Agencies are. selected by CALEA based upon
their past awards, current assessments, and overall professional standing in the public safety community.
The current Police Chief is retiring after a 28 year career with the MBPD.
The Police Chief is a highly responsible senior level management position that involves the planning,
organizing, staffing, directing and controlling of all of the Police Department's functions and activities. This
position requires extreme confidentiality and professionalism. The Chief exercises - extensive independent
judgment and professional managerial knowledge in the administration of a Large and complex 24- hour /7 -day-
a -week public safety and law enforcement department to provide the highest level of protection to the City.
The position requires the ability to proactively and successfully work with staff at all levels and with the City
Administration to deal with personnel, safety and administrative issues. Supervision is exercised through
various levels of command staff in the Police Department over a variety of sworn; technical professional,
administrative, specialized, and clerical employees with assigned responsibilities in various operations of the
department. The Police Chief reports to the City Manager. The Police Chief is responsible for the attainment
of desired objectives, the. professional management of all of the MBPD operations, and for the quality of
services provided'by MBPD employees to the City and its customers:
The selected - Police Chief will lead the transformation and transition of the MBPD to an even higher
performing organization with particular emphasis on developing a well trained and well respected organization
applying traditional community -based and problem - oriented policing strategies. Special attention to the use
and implementation of technology and automation to ensure increased accountability and transparency of the
department is expected. The Chief will also deal with a number of other challenges, including: (1) - striking the ,
balance between more community- oriented services delivered to our residents and the demands and
workload generated as a 24 -hour tourist destination; (2) Managing and policing several large scale events that
take place in the City which attract large crowds particularly during holiday weekends ie: (New Year's Eve,
July 4th, Memorial Day etc.), spring break, the winter season and other special events throughout the year; (3)
Focusing on streamlining the organization in light of extremely challenging budget constraints; (4) Collectively
bargaining .with the FOP and other unions in 2012 as the current contracts expire on September 30, 2012 with
particular focus on wages, benefits and pension issues; (5) Ensuring that all MBPD employees are committed
and connected to the City's and MBPD's mission, vision; and values, and are held accountable at all levels
and at all times, (6) Ensuring the Delivery of good customer service by police personnel and the attainment of
high employee morale; and, (7) focusing on other high priority tasks to be addressed immediately.
ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES:
• Plans, programs, directs and evaluates all *the operations of the Police 'Department;
• Develops annual budget proposal and controls budgeted expenses;
Formulates and implements police policies, procedures, rules, regulations and.
programs;
• Prepares and reviews operational and administrative reports;
Participates as a member of the City's labor relations collective bargaining negotiations
team;
Develops and maintains effective partnerships with local, state and federal law
enforcement agencies;
Proactively develops and implements plans to address challenges unique to the,
Department and City;
Promotes, assigns and disciplines department personnel;
Supervises.maintenance of all records and materials associated with law enforcement
activities or administration;
Makes periodic public addresses;
• Attends meetings and serves on committees, boards and agencies related to promoting
crime prevention and improving law enforcement;
• Ensures the delivery of good customer service by departmental personnel
Evaluates the work of departmental personnel; and
Performs related work as required.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
• A minimum of fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible law enforcement
experience, which must include at least five to seven (5 -7) years of executive
management and police command staff experience.
• Certification as a Florida law enforcement officer in accordance: with Chapter 943, Florida
Statutes (or ability to obtain within six months of employment),.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, in Public Administration, Political
Science, Criminal 3ustice,-Law Enforcement, Public Safety Management, or related field.
• Other combination. of experience and education that meet the minimum requirements
may substitute the education prerequisites.
• Progressively responsible senior -level police command staff experience in Florida law
enforcement. (Not a minimum requirement but highly desired)
•: Graduation from a nationally recognized executive development command- training
program (i.e. FBI National Academy, Southern Police Institute, Northwestern, or other r
related professional law enforcement programs). (Not a minimum requirement but
highly desired)
Master's degree from an accredited institution, in Public Administration, Po'Iitical Science,
Criminal 3ustice, Law Enforcement, Public Safety Management, or related .field. (Not a
minimum requirement -but highly desired)