LTC 507-2018 Law Enforcement Assistance to U.S. Virgin IslandsMIAMIB ACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 507-2018
TO : Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: September 18, 2018
LETTER TO COMMISSION
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SUBJECT: Law Enforcement Assistance to U.S. V gin Islands
This Letter to Commission is prepared to inform the Mayor and Commission of a new
collaboration involving the Miami Beach Police Department and other leading American law
enforcement agencies with the U.S. Virgin Islands and the International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP).
Commencing this month and through the end of 2018, the Miami Beach Police Department will
deploy a handful of sworn police officers to train U.S. Virgin Islands police officers in a variety of
disciplines. A total of four employees are scheduled to participate as part of a multi-jurisdictional
team of professionals. The other American agencies selected and participating in this effort are
the police departments of Sarasota, Fl., Springfield, Mo., Fairfax County , Md., Montgomery
County, Md., New Orleans, and Charleston, S.C.
The purpose of the initiative is to assist the U.S. Virgin Islands with implementing best policing
practices in the areas of Internal Investigations, Use of Force, and Crisis Intervention Training.
The Virgin Islands police are under a U.S . Department of Justice (DOJ) consent decree to
achieve certain reforms , and this training is part of their effort to achieve the new training goals of
the decree.
Each training discipline requires subject matter expertise, with the goal of each visiting American
training team to instruct up to 150 officers before the end of the year. The participating Miami
Beach officers are expected to be in the U.S. Virgin Islands for approximately 10 days .
This partnership is made possible by a private foundation. The IACP is the coordinating
organization. The Miami Beach Police Department is honored to be chosen as one of the six
agencies to participate in this unique training initiative. Additionally, the program provides MBPD
employees the opportunity to expand their professional network while delivering valuable skills
and information to officers in the Virgin Islands. There is no cost to the employee, the City, or the
Police Department, as all expenses will be reimbursed by the IACP.
JLM /DJO /wrg