LTC 475-2021 Miami Beach Police Department Off-Duty Rate EnhancementMIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC #
475-2021
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Honorable Mayor Dan Gel~e~\/bers of the City Commission
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Mana~
DA TE: November 5, 2021
SUBJECT: Miami Beach Police Department Off-Duty Rate Enhancement
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to provide an overview of the Miami Beach
Police Department's off-duty program and the importance of its enhancement through a
necessary increase of current rates.
The City of Miami Beach, renowned for its beaches, tourism and nightlife, has only grown
in popularity. As high impact weekends continue to increase in size and as weekends are
regularly accommodating substantially larger crowds fueled by post-pandemic
vacationing, clubs and alcoholic beverage establishments continue to pose a considerably
greater enforcement challenge for the City and for the Miami Beach Police Department
(MBPD).
The Department provides daily and regular off-duty police services to businesses
throughout the city as well as for special events, City sponsored events, holiday weekends
and traffic control-related activities. Off-duty posts are staffed on a voluntary basis with the
approval of the Chief of Police. Historically, club establishments have hired off-duty police
officers to both assist with crowd control and intoxicated patrons as well as to act as a
deterrent to criminal activity. Due to the late hours and the unruly nature of the crowds at
these dance hall locations, off-duty details at alcoholic establishments are considerably
more difficult and taxing for officers to carry out and are consequently categorized
separately from regular off-duty posts.
With the increase in demand placed on the Department to manage a growing number of
visitors, enhanced staffing throughout the year at multiple events has been required via
overtime. Overtime is paid to officers at a rate of time and a half and exceeds the current
off-duty rate assigned to club off-duty details. Without any external incentive to counteract
the myriad of challenges brought on by large crowds, intoxication, brawls and traffic
congestion, police officers are naturally inclined to take on overtime positions rather than
sign up for off-duty details at club or dance hall establishments.
To bridge all the current off-duty gaps and make club off-duty details more appealing to
officers, I have approved the Chief's recommendation of an enhancement to the
compensation of the off-duty rates, with a substantial increase to the club off-duty detail
rate per below:
Compensation/Rate of Pay Schedule (4 hour minimum per officer)
Current Regular Current Club Proposed Regular Proposed Club
Position Detail Rate Detail Rate Detail Rate Detail Rate
(per hour) (per hour) (per hour) (per hour)
Police Officer $50 .00 $53.00 $60.00 $80 .00
Serqeant $55.00 $60 .00 $65.00 $85 .00
Lieutenant $58 .00 $63.00 $68.00 $85 .00
Captain $61.00 $66 .00 $71.00 $85.00
Marine Patrol Officer 2 hours pay (boat prep) N/A 2 hours pay (boat prep) N/A
Motorcycle Escorts $100.00 N/A $240 .00 N/A ($50 .00 additional hour) ($60.00 additional hour)
Police Coordinator $2 .00 or $50.00 flat $3 .00 or $60.00 flat
(whichever is qreater) (whichever is qreater)
City Administration Fee $12 .00/officer $12.00/officer
Comparative rates were studied in this decision process. The Department's Off-Duty team
conducted a survey/comparative analysis of the rates and employment opportunities for
multiple jurisdictions within Miami -Dade County. It is important to note that no other local
jurisdiction provides an entertainment-type district encompassing as many clubs, dance
halls or liquor establishments as can be found in the City of Miami Beach.
Additionally, with the exception of the Miami -Dade Police Department (MDPD) which
offers officers a premium event rate of $75.00 plus an administrative surcharge equaling
$99.00 per hour (supervisors are additionally compensated to reflect the appropriate rate
for their respective ranks) and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) which considers each
detail as independently contracted without a specified off-duty rate and averages at $85.00
per hour, no other jurisdiction offers a proportional rate or magnitude of off-duty
employment opportunities.
Comparative to both the FHP off-duty rate and the County's premium event pay, the rate
being proposed for the City of Miami Beach falls in line with both.
Miami-Dade County Off-Duty Comparative Analysis (per hour)
Municipality/ Jurisdiction Off Duty Rate Club Rate Admin Fee Not Included
Aventura $53 .00 -$58.00 None
Bal Harbor $45 .00 None
Bay Harbor Islands $56 .75 None
Coral Gables $41.00 -$65.00 None
Doral $60.00 -$63.50 None
Florida City $45.00 None
Indian Creek Village $60 .00 None
Key Biscayne $50 .00 None
Miami Dade-County $68.50 -$76. 75 None Premium Event rate $75 .00
Miami $50 .50 None
Miami Shores $45 .00 None
North Miami $46 .00 None
North Miami Beach $48.00 None
Florida Highway Patrol Independently Contracted Independently Contracted averages $85.00
Municipalities/ Jurisdictions
Biscayne Park
El Portal
Hialeah
Hialeah Gardens
Homestead
Medley
Miami Springs No Off-Duty/Club Rate North Bay Village
Opa -locka
Pinecrest
South Miami
Sunny Isles Beach
Surfside
Virginia Gardens
It is the strong belief of the Department that an increase in the overall off-duty rate would
serve to appeal to officers to work for adequate compensation under the unique demand
of services our city requires. An increased presence and participation in off-duty services
would substantially increase visibility without depleting "on-duty" resources and create the
force multiplier needed in certain areas of the city.
Thank you for your continued support of our comprehensive strategies. remain
committed to any and all options for improving of City's public safety .
ATH/RMC/CMRP