LTC 259-2006 Updated Information on the Emergency Relocation of Police Personnel
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MIAMI BEACH
RECEIVED
16110 OCT 21 AH 10: 19
CITY CLEHK'S OFFICE
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 259-2006
LETTER TO COMMISSION
FROM:
Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager~ /' ~
October 26 2006 0
UPDATED INFORMATION ON THE EMERGENCY RELOCATION OF
POLICE PERSONNEL
TO:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
On October 18, 2006, LTC #247-2006 was sent to the Mayor and City Commission
regarding the necessity of temporary and emergency relocations of a number of City
personnel, including the Internal Affairs Division (I A) of the Police Department The LTC
explained the circumstances associated with the relocation of the Police Intemal Affairs Unit
into the North Beach Police Substation, as well as other staff relocations.
At about the time of the LTC, North Beach residents raised a number of questions as to the
necessity of the move and further questioned recent Police Department adjustments relative
to the Neighborhood Resource Officers (NRO's). Both the Emergency Relocation LTC and
LTC #231-2006 regarding the NRO's dated October 2,2006, was immediately provided to
the North Beach Development Corporation (N BDC) who positioned themselves as a conduit
of information for the respective homeowners associations in North Beach.
The two LTC's even though widely circulated among homeowners associations did not
address all of the concerns or questions that had been generated in the North Beach
community. As such, the NBDC hosted a short community meeting on Monday, October 23,
2006 at 5:30 p.m. at the North Shore Youth Center immediately preceding a scheduled
candidate forum at the same venue. City staff was invited and the City Manager, Assistant
City Manager Robert C. Middaugh, Police Chief Don De Lucca and several other Police
Command Staff were in attendance at the meeting.
At the beginning ofthe meeting, a small group of residents was presentto address City Staff
with their concerns. As the meeting on the community concerns relative to the substation
and NRO's crossed into the scheduled time for the candidate forum, the audience grew
larger and additional questions were raised as a result
Resident concern as expressed to City Staff centered around a few issues. Residents
requested additional information on the necessity of relocating the Intemal Affairs Division of
the Police Department to the North Beach Substation, the impact on services to
neighborhoods of scheduling changes relative to the NRO's and general level of Police
presence within the North Beach area was also expressed as a concern by residents
present
Detailed information on the necessity of the move of the IA unit of the North Beach
Substation was provided to residents and also a clear statement that it was not a permanent
move. The IA move was necessitated by sudden and unexpected construction
complications at the Old City Hall facility. Detailed explanation was provided by the Police
Staff on the necessity of the NRO's schedule changes, and further, how Police services
provided to North Beach community would not be impacted in any manner by either the
substation or the NRO changes. A number of misconceptions about the actual activities
conducted at the substation were also addressed, principally prisoner transports. Residents
were under the impression that prisoners were processed in the substation. Residents
expressed concern that by using other venues such as the North Shore Youth Center for
substation services, prisoners might be introduced into inappropriate circumstances. It was
explained that prisoners have never been processed at the substation and that the current
practice of exchanging prisoners to a transport van outside the facility would continue.
Residents were also informed that the City Commission had approved an expansion of the
number of police officers for the fiscal year and that the Police Department was placing an
emphasis on department wide community policing in order to expand community contacts
beyond that possible by a single NRO.
As a result of the community meeting, no services were identified as being negatively
impacted. The City Administration agreed to continue conversation both with NBDC and the
community as necessary to discuss and to resolve any service impacts that might develop
on this subject matter.
At this point, the Internal Affairs Division is located in the North Beach Substation and
functioning as planned. The Police Department has re-instituted a publiC safety aide within
the substation facility to be able to address any walk in traffic seeking Police assistance.
The NRO's and other Police Officers in the North Beach area will be using the North Shore
Youth Center as a place to either do reports or to fax information to headquarters or other
Police agencies. This location would also offer a positive interaction opportunity between
officers and youth in the North Beach area. All of the services that were historically provided
at the North Beach Substation are being performed either at the substation or other area
venues, without any impact as a result of the Internal Affairs Unit relocation.
If you have any questions, please feel free to call me.
\sam
ALL\BOB\updatemergrelocpoliceltc.doc
October
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MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 231-2006
LETTER TO COMMISSION
FROM:
Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager /-1,./'"' ~
October 2,2006 U 0
Neighborhood Resource Officer Reassignment
TO:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
This LTC is provided to respond to the inquires recenUyforwarded to me regarding the City's
Neighborhood Resources Officers (NRO) Program.
As a result of recent retirements and attrition of MBPD personnel, a need has been identified
to ensure sufficient staffing in the Patrol Division to respond to calls for service. To meet this
need, the three Neighborhood Resources Officers have been assigned to their current
district to respond to calls for service. When the NRO's are not handling calls for service,
they will continue to mitigate various other quality of life issues dealing with the homeless,
illegal dumping and parking. The NRO's will keep their current shifts, days off and district
assignments. This staffing alignment will ensure our highest priority of providing rapid
response to calls for service, continue our efforts in community oriented policing and
effectively dealing with quality of life issues. To further enhance our community oriented
policing commitment, District Captains will continue to maintain liaison relationships with
homeowners associations, business groups and Better Place to ensure our current level of
service.
JMGIDWD/RAM
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G MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 247-2006
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
DATE:
Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manage2 ~
October 18, 2006 ~ 0
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT LOCATIONS
FROM:
SUBJECT:
As a result of construction related issues at Old City Hall, several fire safety related concems
have been raised by the Fire Marshall. The Administration was notified by the Fire Marshall
on Thursday, October 12th to relocate all of the remaining City personnel from space
occupied at Old City Hall. While the notice was to be effective on Friday, October 13th no
later than 5:00 p.m.,Property Management personnel were able to institute temporary
emergency measures to address the most pressing concems and allow a slighUy longer time
for transition of personnel.
Beyond the appropriate concems raised by the Fire Marshall, the City staff in Old City Hall
have also been negatively affected by water intrusion, construction noise and dust
The relocations from Old City Hall, while temporary, will likely span an eight (8) to ten (10)
month period of time.
In a previous LTC, the City Commission had been advised that the entire Parking
Department had been relocated from Old City Hall in order to facilitate construction activities
and housed in rental space on 23rd Avenue near the Miami City Ballet Building. Likewise,
the entire County Clerk and County Court operations from Old City were relocated both to
mainland County facilities and to the Old Library on Washington Avenue.
In assessing available space opportunities, each of the impacted departments presented
certain unique operating conditions that limited the already limited options available to the
City. In the case of the Intemal Affairs (IA) Division of the Police Department, they could not
relocate into the main Police Department Building as IA is required to maintain separation
from regular operating activities and to respect the privacy of individuals either reporting or
involved in Internal Affairs investigations. In the case of the Information Technology
Programming Division, as a programming unit on a full time basis, they had a high level of
need for both computer connectivity to the main City systems and electrical power. To
further complicate the space allocation decisions, two potentially usable areas in the City,
the Police Department Community Room, as well as the First Floor Conference Room in the
Old City Hall, are being used as Election Precincts until approximately the third week in
November.
At very little expense, the Police Department agreed to relocate the Intemal Affairs Division
to the North Beach Police Substation. All of the operating needs of the Internal Affairs
Division were able to be met in this location, including the security of their documents and
files, as well as the protection of officers either involved in investigations orwishing to initiate
investigations. Operationally, the Internal Affairs Division will need to occupy most of the
space at the North Beach Police Substation.
In order to maintain a concentrated area presence, as well as to address any public
perceptions of any lack of Police presence, North District Police Officers will be working out
of the North Shore Youth Center as a place to write reports and/or to hold meetings as
necessary. A further advantage of the North Shore Youth Center presence will be both the
opportunity and expectation that Police Officers will be able to interact with youth at the
facility in a positive and informal manner.
In relocating the Information Technology Division, it has been necessary to temporarity move
the approximately fifteen (15) persons and their computer workstations into the Police
Department Training Room. This has presented a whole range of operating issues
associated with rescheduling or relocating activities already established in that area which
will very likely spill into and potentially disrupt some of the activities scheduled for the Police
Community Room. While the Information Technology personnel are temporarily located in
the Police Department building, the Property Management staff is making the power and
connectivity upgrades to facilitate the relocation of the information Technology staff into the
First Floor Conference Room of City Hall. Once the election is completed, the Information
Technology staff will be able to locate to that area for the duration of the eight (8) to ten (10)
months associated with the construction of Old City Hall.
As space within the rnain Police building is severely limited, it has also been necessary to
relocate officers working in the RDA to offices on Terminal Island. The current space
occupied by the Sanitation Administrative personnel will be used by the Police staff as soon
as the hurricane damage repairs make the former Sanitation spaces available for re-
occupancy by Sanitation.
The emergency relocations were unanticipated and given the short time with which to
accomplish the relocations, less than ideal circumstances have been created for many of our
operating divisions. In all cases, services to the publiC or to other City departments have
and will be maintained, while at the same time respecting and securing appropriate and safe
work spaces for our impacted employees. The relocations have also been accomplished
with the intent to minimize the expense to the City and without having to rent additional
privately owned office space.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Assistant City Manager, Robert C.
Middaugh or me.
JM /lam
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