LTC 194-2022 Police Staffing Study194-2022
MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO . LTC# LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM :
Honorable Mayor Dan Gel MVbers of the City Commission
Alina T. Hudak, City Mana rf1 \X'>
DATE : May 17 , 2022
SUBJECT: Police Staffing Study
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to transmit the Police Staffing Study recently
completed by the Matrix Consulting Group. This study was initiated last year to study the field
operations of the Miami Beach Police Department (MBPD), particularly focusing on policing
strategies within the Art Deco Cultural District (ADCD). The scope of the study included the
following:
• Interviews with Miami Beach City leadership , including elected officials.
• Meeting with MDPD leadership, commanders, and managers to understanding the service
environment and the issues facing operat ions .
• Ride-alongs with MBPD officers, including within the ADCD.
• Comprehensive analysis of patrol workload, examining service needs both within the
ADCD and throughout the city .
• Assessment of patrol proactive {discretionary) time, as well as how it is used to promote
visibility and police presence, suppress crime, and engage with the community.
• The capacity of patrol units to handle incoming workloads and be proactive in the field .
• Identification of new and alternative strategies for policing within the ADCD, including the
adoption and use of emerging technologies .
• Examining the equity of service levels across the city, identifying whether allocation of staff
to certain areas has created any imbalances elsewhere.
The following summarize the major findings of this analysis, including identified issues to address: ·
• Patrol staffing is exceptionally well equipped to handle workload and remain exceptionally
proactive.
o This is true both overall citywide , and specifically within the ADCD .
o This is also reflected in response times, which are very low in all areas across all
priority level categories.
• Proactive time is available at such a high level that additional staffing, and consequently
more proactive time, would have limited ability to be directed toward officer-initiated
activities .
• The Special Enforcement Team (SET) is currently in a transition phase, and care will need
to be taken to direct the unit's focus long-term on the most critical public safety issues
facing the ADCD .
• The data clearly shows that 2021 was an exceptional year -even compared to pre-
pandemic years -in terms of workload and crime within the ADCD and Area 1. However,
recent months of data strongly indicate a return to normalcy.
L TC -Police Staffing Study
• After surveying a number of other agencies with large entertainment districts, it is clear
that the Miami Beach Police Department is at the leading edge in terms of the use of
technology.
o Ultimately, there are limited opportunities to implement new technologies .
o A technology system such as ShotSpotter, for instance, is of limited use given the
size of the area it would be principally focused relative to the on-duty deployment.
o However, significant opportunities to better use technology that has already been
implemented or is in the process of being implemented.
• We reviewed research on implementing zero tolerance approaches in entertainment
districts, which conclusively demonstrated conclusively that there would be virtually no
benefit in long-term behavior change or crime reduction.
o However, such a policy would have significant harm on relationships with the
business community, which are integral to building partnerships for public safety.
o These secondary effects would ultimately override any benefits experienced .
• The jail transport and booking unit provides a highly effective service to patrol officers.
However, its deployment schedule does not match where needs are greatest, such as on
Saturday nights .
• At a basic level, the current shift schedule is effective for the needs of the ADCD and the
city overall. However, tweaks are needed to better distribute officers on duty relative to
needs within the ADCD.
From these findings, the consultant developed a series of recommendations to address what is
perceived to be deficiencies in the Department's staffing allocation. Below are the 6
recommendations as well as the status of implementation for each.
1. Current overall staffing within the ADCD is sufficient to handle workloads and
provide an exceptional level of service and should be maintained at present levels.
o The Department adopts this recommendation and will continue to evaluate calls
for service, special events and other police related activity to adapt to changes in
theADCD.
2. Add one additional Detention Officer position that will be deployed on a staggered
night shift from 2000-0400, working Thursday through Sunday.
o This position was added as part of the FY 2022 Operating Budget Amendment
approved by the City Commission on March 9, 2022 and the hiring process for this
position is expected to be completed within 60 to 90 days.
3. Adjust the shift configuration for Patrol teams assigned to the ADCD as indicated
in the analysis to stagger officer schedules and balance capabilities across the
workweek.
o The Department adopts this recommendation and has already implemented a new
shift configuration by collapsing 3 shifts into 2 shifts in order to maximize the
number of personnel during the busiest times in the ADCD. The hours are : 11 am
to 9 pm and 8 pm to 6 am.
4. Seasonally adjust SET team hours later to better align with the hours where when
violent crimes such as shooting, robberies, and assaults are most likely to occur
within the ADCD, working from 7:30 PM to 5:30 AM.
o The Department adopts this recommendation and has implemented a variation of
same .
L TC -Police Staffing Study
5. Increase staffing of the crime analysts assigned to the upcoming real-time crime
center operation by two positions, for a total of four FTEs authorized.
o These positions were added as part of the FY 2022 Operating Budget Amendment
approved by the City Commission on March 9, 2022 and we are in the process of
reviewing applications for processing.
6. Reallocate three officers to Area 1 and assign the officers to Midnight patrol shifts.
o The Department adopts this recommendation and has implemented same with a
minor variation .
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Rick Clements, Chief of Police or John
Woodruff, Chief Financial Officer.
Attachment
Matrix Staffing Study
Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA
February 4, 2022
matrix
consulting group
Final Report on the Entertainment District Policing A nal ysis Miami Beach, FL
Table of Contents
Introduction and Executive Summary 1
Overview of the Current Deployment Plan 4
Patrol Workload Analysis 12
Patrol Proactive Time and Staffing Analysis 24
Additional Strategies to Boost Visibility 44
Technology Utilization Assessment 56
Matrix Consulting Group
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
1. Introduction and Executive Summary
(1) Process Used to Conduct the Study
Matrix Consulting Group was retained by the City of Miami Beach to study the field
operations of the Miami Beach Police Department, particularly focusing on policing
strategies within the Art Deco Cultural District (ADCD). The scope of the study includes
the following:
Interviews with Miami Beach city leadership, including elected officials.
Meeting with Miami Beach Police Department (MDPD) leadership, commanders,
and managers to understanding the service environment and the issues facing
operations.
Ridealongs with MBPD officers, including within the ADCD.
Comprehensive analysis of patrol workload, examining service needs both within
the ADCD and throughout the city.
Assessment of patrol proactive (discretionary) time, as well as how it is used to
promote visibility and police presence, suppress crime, and engage with the
community.
The capacity of patrol units to handle incoming workloads and be proactive in the
field .
Identification of new and alternative strategies for policing within the ADCD,
including the adoption and use of emerging technologies .
Examining the equity of service levels across the city, identifying whether
allocation of staff to certain areas has created any imbalances elsewhere.
This final report represents the culmination of this process, and includes our findings and
recommendations, as well as the methodology used to conduct the analysis.
(2) Findings
The following dot points summarize the major findings of this analysis, including
identified issues to address:
Matrix Consulting Group
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Patrol staffing is exceptionally well equipped to handle workload and remain
exceptionally proactive.
This is true both overall citywide, and specifically within the ADCD .
This is also reflected in response times, which are very low in all areas
across all priority level categories.
Proactive time is available at such a high level that additional staffing, and
consequently more proactive time, would have limited ability to be directed toward
officer-initiated activities.
The Special Enforcement Team (SET) is currently in a transition phase, and care
will need to be taken to direct the unit's focus long-term on the most critical public
safety issues facing the ADCD .
The data clearly shows that 2021 was an exceptional year -even compared to
pre-pandemic years -in terms of workload and crime within the ADCD and Area
1. However, recent months of data strongly indicate a return to normalcy.
After surveying a number of other agencies with large entertainment districts, it is
clear that the Miami Beach Police Department is at the leading edge in terms of
the use of technology.
Ultimately, there are limited opportunities to implement new technologies.
A technology system such as ShotSpotter, for instance, is of limited use
given the size of the area it would be principally focused relative to the on-
duty deployment.
However, significant opportunities to better use technology that has already
been implemented or is in the process of being implemented.
We reviewed research on implementing zero tolerance approaches in
entertainment districts, which conclusively demonstrated conclusively that there
would be virtually no benefit in long-term behavior change or crime reduction.
However, such a policy would have significant harm on relationships with
the business community, which are integral to building partnerships for
public safety.
These secondary effects would ultimately override any benefits
experienced.
Matrix Consulting Group 2
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
The jail transport and booking unit provides a highly effective service to patrol
officers. However, its deployment schedule does not match where needs are
greatest, such as on Saturday nights.
At a basic level, the current shift schedule is effective for the needs of the ADCD
and the city overall. However, tweaks are needed to better distribute officers on
duty relative to needs within the ADCD.
(3) Recommendations
From these findings, the project team the developed a series of recommendations to
address any issues they present:
Reallocate three officers from Area 3 to Area 1, and assign the officers to Midnight
patrol shifts.
Current overall staffing within the ADCD is sufficient to handle workloads and
provide an exceptional level of service, and should be maintained at present levels.
Add one additional Detention Officer position that will be deployed on a staggered
night shift from 2000-0400, working Thursday through Sunday.
Adjust the shift configuration for Patrol teams assigned to the ADCD as indicated
in the analysis in order to stagger officer schedules and balance capabilities
across the workweek.
Seasonally adjust SET team hours later to better align with the hours where when
violent crimes such as shooting, robberies, and assaults are most likely to occur
within the ADCD, working from 7:30 PM to 5:30 AM.
Increase staffing of the crime analysts assigned to the upcoming real-time crime
center operation by two positions, for a total of four FTEs authorized.
Matrix Consulting Group 3
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
2. Overview of the Current Deployment Plan
Miami Beach Police Department officers assigned to patrol units, or units that function
equivalently to patrol in their function, work 10-hour shifts on four days per week. For
more active periods and special events, days off can be canceled and significant overtime
will be required . Overtime is also generally available and abundant for the purposes of
augmenting staffing . Nonetheless, it is important to note that this analysis focuses on
the regular resources available to patrol, in order to determine whether budgeted staffing
levels are sufficient to handle workload, be proactive, and remain able to provide a high
level of service to the community.
{1) Overview of Patrol Area Field Staffing
Patrol is divided into four area commands, as shown in the following map :
Matrix Consulting Group 4
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis
MBPD Patrol Areas
·················.,_·······-'J ..
Ar e a (g
/L-J
1 l ABCD r
/
Miami Beach, FL
The following pages provide a brief description and map of each area, as well as its shift
schedule and staffing for patrol and patrol-equivalent units :
ADCD (Art Deco Cultural District)
Matrix Consulting Group 5
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Team Start End
Days 0600 1600
Days 0600 1600
Afternoons 1500 0100
Afternoons 1500 0100
Nights 2000 0600
Nights 2000 0600
SET 1700 0300
I Week 1
s M T
The relatively small ADCD is characterized
by four parallel zones that each represent
distinct service environments (from left to
right on the map): Washington Ave, Collins
Ave, Ocean Drive, and South
Beach/Lummus Park. It is staffed as
follows, excluding community policing
units and other specialized resources (with
the exception of SET):
I Week 2
W Th F Sa S M T W Th F Sa # Officers
4
5
5
4
8
13
8
The ADCD is an incredibly dense service environment in terms of activity, featuring large
crowds -even on quieter days and nights. In many ways, the South Beach area is the
focal point of Miami beach as a tourist destination, with Ocean Drive being the epicenter
of activity. As a result, relative to its size and even its workload, the ADCD is extensively
staffed .
Matrix Consulting Group 6
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Area 1
Team Start End
Days 0600 1600
Days 0600 1600
Days 0600 1600
Days 0600 1600
Afternoons 1500 0100
Afternoons 1500 0100
Afternoons 1500 0100
Afternoons 1500 0100
Midnights 2100 0700
Midnights 2100 0700
Midnights 2100 0700
Midnights 2100 0700
South of 5th 1100 2100
South of 5th 1100 2100
RDA 1100 2100
RDA 1100 2100
Matrix Consulting Group
~-.,
,,/1 L I ... -.....
I Week 1
Area 1 comprises the city center of
Miami Beach, including the RDA, a
significant part of Collins Ave and
Washington Ave, a large residential
population, and numerous
entertainment establishments outside
of the ADCD.
I We ek 2
s M T W Th F Sa S M T W Th F Sa # Officers
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
3
4
1
1
7
6
7
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
It is important to note that, for the hours that it is active, the RDA (Redevelopment Agency)
units function largely as a separate entity, and are funded through a special funding
source. Officers must interview for the assignment, and have priority for overtime slots
in the RDA area. Notably, the RDA area When they are not on duty, the area is absorbed
into Area 1.
The focal point of the RDA is the Lincoln Road pedestrian mall, which includes numerous
restaurants and retail spaces, as well as the convention center:
. , , , , ,
•'
The RDA zone within Area 1.
Matrix Consulting Group 8
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Area 2
.. -------------~·
Ar ea 1
I Week 1
Team Start End s M
Days 0600 1600
Days 0600 1600
Days 0600 1600
Afternoons 1500 0100
Afternoons 1500 0100
Afternoons 1500 0100
Midnights 2100 0700
Midnights 2100 0700
M idnights 2100 0700
, __ _
Ar e a 3
T W Th
Area 2 begins north of Dade Blvd, and
although it is removed from the South
Beach area, includes many hotels -
some of which with large nightlife
venues.
Notably, it has two assignment areas
(i.e., functionally patrol beats) that are
permanently staffed for response time
considerations: The Venetian Islands
(SW area of the map), and immediately
to its northeast, the N Bay Rd and Sunset
Islands.
Dedicated community policing staff also
patrol two zones: 41 st Street Beat and
Beachwalk, although they are omitted
from the following table given that they
are not primarily call responders .
I Week 2
F Sa S M T W T h F Sa # Officers
5
1
5
5
1
4
5
1
5
Staffing is equal between days, afternoons and night shifts, with the exception of one
vacancy on afternoons dropping the total for the shift to 10 officers. Days and midnights
each retain 11 officers across the three sets of workdays .
Matrix Consulting Group 9
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis
Area 3
.. ··.
.. '-------------··········
Team Start
Days 0600
Days 0600
Days 0600
Afternoons 1500
Afternoons 1500
Afternoons 1500
Midnights 2100
Midnights 2100
Midnights 2100
I Week 1
End s M
1600
1600
1600
0100
0100
0100
0700
0700
0700
(2) Community Policing Units
T W Th F Sa
Miami Beach, FL
Area 3 is primarily residential,
although it also includes
beachfront hotels, a large
commercial district between its
southern border and 72nd Street,
and the North Beach Oceanside
Park.
The area also includes the
proactive 71 st St detail, which is not
represented in the staffing table .
I Week 2
s M T W Th F Sa # Officers
5
1
5
5
1
5
5
1
5
In addition to those working in patrol roles, a number of teams work as entirely proactive
community policing specialist in specific areas or 'beats' within an area:
Mat r ix Consulting Group 10
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Schedule for the Community Policing Units
j week 1 jweek 2
Team Start End s M T W Th F Sa S M T W Th F Sa # Officers
Beachwalk 1100 2100 2
Beachwalk 1100 2100 1
NRO ADCD 0800 1800 1
NRO Area 1 0700 1700 1
NRO Area 2 0600 1600 1
NRO Area 3 0800 1600 1
41 st Street 1100 2100 1
41 st Street 1100 2100 1
71 st Street 1100 2100 1
71 st Street 1100 2100 1
HRO (Days) 0600 1600 2
HRO (Days) 0600 1600 2
This also does not include certain specialized enforcement units, such as the traffic unit
(motors).
Matrix Consulting Group 11
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
3. Patrol Workload Analysis
(1) Methodology Used to Analyze Patrol Workload
Our project team has calculated the community-generated workload of the department
by analyzing incident records in the computer aided dispatch (CAD) database, covering
the entirety of calendar years 2018-2020. For the primary focus of the workload and
staffing analysis, 2021 data is used unless otherwise noted and presented within the
context of a multi-year analysis .
For incidents to be identified as community-generated calls for service and included in
our analysis of patrol, each of the following conditions needed to be met:
The incident must have been unique.
The incident must have been first created in calendar year 2021 for the single-year
analysis, or 2019-2020 for the multi-year analysis.
The incident must have involved at least one officer assigned to patrol or proactive
field unit, as identified by the individual unit codes of each response to the call.
Calls handled by the SET Team, walking beats (e.g ., the 4,st Street Beat),
Beachwalk, and RDA personnel, among others, are included.
Specialized field units, such as traffic/motors, are not included, nor are
detectives or field civilian personnel such as crime scene technicians.
The incident type of the event must have sufficiently corresponded to a
community-generated event. Call types that could be identified with a high level of
certainty as being either self-initiated (e.g., traffic stops) are not counted as
community-generated calls for service.
The incident type of the event must have sufficiently corresponded to a
community-generated event. Call types that could be identified with a high level of
certainty as being either self-initiated (e.g., traffic stops) are not counted as
community-generated calls for service .
Very few calls were filtered out this way, as the call origin/source
information is used as the primary means of separating community-
generated versus self-initiated activity.
Matrix Consulting Group 12
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach , FL
There must have been no major irregularities or issues with the data recorded for
the incident that would prevent sufficient analysis, such as having no unit code or
lack of any time stamps.
After filtering through the data using the methodology outlined above, the remaining
incidents represent the community-generated calls for service handled by MBPD patrol
units .
There are some technical differences in how calls for service versus self-initiated activity
have been classified relative to the previous study of MBPD conducted by the Matrix
Consulting Group . These differences only affect comparisons between the totals for that
year of data versus the three years presented in this analysis, and does not affect the
findings or conclusions drawn in this study. To summarize the changes, a more clear line
has been drawn in terms of calls for service that the department is responding to
reactively versus workload that is initiated and managed by the police department. A full
explanation is contained in the footnotes below 1 .
1 The 2018 study of the Miami Beach Police Department by the Matrix Consulting Group reclassified certain
types of officer-initiated incidents as community-generated to present a broader definition of workload that
is tied to the community. This study, by contrast, focuses specifically on the presence of patrol in the
entertainment district -particularly how proactive time is utilized -as well as response to emergency
incidents.
Consequently, the more traditionally narrow definition of community-generated calls is used, which defines
calls as those that are generated by the community that the police department responds to. Any other
actions that MBPD undertakes involve s the use of that time proactively for purposes of problem oriented
policing or establishing visibility -a key goal in the ADCD particularly. As such, while this study utilizes
three years of data, the total call figures are not directly comparable to the 2018 study.
The previous study reclassified certain types of self-initiated activity as community-generated that were
indirectly linked to a community request. In this study, the incident s are re-included as self-initiated, in order
to provide a sepa rate view of how proactive time is utilized, thus affecting the overall count.
In particular, the previous study automatically re-classified all officer-initiated "INFO/DETAIL"
(12,966 incidents in 2016) and "WATCH ORDER" (3,819 incidents) given that they are indirectly
cit izen-generated .
Additionally, the decline of parking comp laint workload (1,819 calls for service compared to only 5
in 2021) had a significant impact on the count.
A limited number of other events with ca ll source values of as "Officer-Initiated" were reclassified
as calls for service based on the incident type .
The result of these changes is that the call for service total is lower, but the self-initiated total is much
higher -in fact, about double the number of self-initiated incidents measured in the 2016 study . Given the
focus of this study, this provides for a better perspective on incoming workload that is handled as it occurs
versus officer-initiated activity that is completed only when time is available .
Ma t rix Consu ltin g Gro up 13
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
(2) Calls for Service by Hour and Weekday
In 2021, MBPD patrol units responded 42,596 community-generated calls for service.
7,194 of these calls for service occurred within the ADCD (Art Deco Cultural District),
representing 17% of the citywide total.
The following table displays calls for service totals by hour and weekday in calendar year
2021, shading cells on a scale from the least active hours to the most active hours :
Citywide ADCD
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
12a 344 363 282 258 271 275 321 74 79 53 45 48 45 66
1 a m 341 339 277 252 233 281 294 69 69 53 38 44 47 57
2 a m 370 328 266 237 220 308 286 60 51 42 41 55 62
3 am 377 353 267 256 222 306 288 64 49 47 42 72 53
4am 383 318 302 273 269 299 340 65 55 50 59 54 53
Sam 305 257 234 249 298 372 48 52 42 52 53 80
6a m 345 278 212 20 0 225 268 322 53 46 42 44 66 70
7am 321 202 163 142 188 207 284 43 34 21 43 48 59
8am 259 188 140 136 1 51 1 9 5 250 51 43 27 3 1 27 39 48
9 a m 224 153 110 11 5 127 167 194 44 22 17 15 2 8 42
10a m 168 122 120 86 120 134 169 18 12 12 25 2 8
11am 169 116 133 140 11 5 161 181 32 17 17 20 2 9
12pm 180 153 1 80 150 163 198 176 27 8 17 17 2 8
1 pm 214 208 218 196 217 209 225 34 25 27 12 25 19 32
2 pm 263 232 237 205 234 243 277 44 35 26 18 23 23 37
3pm 270 251 253 245 269 289 273 39 32 31 2 6 24 2 6 42
4pm 289 240 285 236 293 290 283 53 24 46 28 34 48 43
5pm 295 252 256 295 249 296 292 55 42 31 34 38 38 63
6pm 301 286 278 260 271 274 303 45 39 48 34 30 28 51
7p m 275 265 272 240 272 274 323 53 39 48 32 49 42 65
8pm 308 297 275 257 307 269 334 57 48 34 37 46 35 62
9pm 366 321 260 263 276 317 349 71 52 33 48 41 59 66
10pm 341 321 276 251 271 319 362 75 53 48 42 46 56 70
11 pm 338 284 271 280 274 300 319 58 62 40 49 57 50 66
The ADCD displays similar call patterns to the citywide distribution. Given that the
citywide figures are largely driven by Area 1 and the ADCD, which together account for
Matrix Consulting Group 14
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
about 60% of the call for service workload handled by the department, this is not
surprising.
(3) Most Common Types of Calls for Service
The following table provides the ten most common incident categories of calls for service
handled by patrol units over the last year, as well as the average call handling time (HT)2
for each both citywide and within the ADCD:
Most Common Call for Service Categories (Citywide)
Incident Type
DISTURBANCE
SUSPICIOUS PERSON
INVESTIGATION
AUDIBLE ALARM
TRAFFIC CRASH
BATTERY
LARCENY
DOMESTIC DISTURB.
ASST . OTHER AGENCY
HIT AND RUN
All Other Types
Total
# CFS
9,223
6,280
5,381
2,500
2 ,029
1 ,797
1,431
1,322
803
802
11,028
42,596
HT 12a 4a 8a 12p
3 5 .3
36 .7
4 2.8
27. 1
75 4
55 9
68. 1 ■
56 .9
47 .5
69 .4
76.5
52.0
4p 8p
2 Handling time is defined as the total time in which a patrol unit was assigned to an incident. It
is calculated as the difference between the recorded time stamps the unit being dispatched and
cleared from the incident.
Matrix Consulting Group 15
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Most Common Call for Se rvi ce Categories {ADCD)
Incident Type # CFS HT 72a 4a 8a 12 p 4p Sp
DISTURBANCE 1 , 975 33.1
SUSPICIOUS PERSON 1 ,174 34 . 1
INVESTIGATION 667 33 .2
BATTERY 443 49.7
LARCENY 3 1 5 60.8
AUDIBLE ALARM 255 2 5.8
TRAFFIC CRASH 239 72 . 2
DOMESTIC DISTURB. 175 50.2
ASST . OTHER AGENCY 168 44.8
HIT AND RUN 148 57 . 1
All Other Types 1 I 635 7 8 .0
Total 7 I 194 47.9
The most common call types in the ADCD versus citywide are nearly identical. Again, this
partly owes to the similarity of calls between ADCD and Area 1, which alone comprises
nearly half of the calls handled by the department.
(4) Response Time by District
The following table displays call for service statistics priority level , showing the
distribution of calls by response time for each category, with the median (middle value)
response time3 indicated as a semitransparent blue line:
3 Response time is defined in this report as the duration between the call creation timestamp and
the arrival time stamp for the first patrol officer on the scene.
Matrix Consulting Group 16
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Call for Service Response Time by Priority Level {Citywide)
Priority Level # CFS % of CFS Median RT RT Distribution
20 40 60
1 3,311 8% 7.0
2 5,327 13% 7.9
3 21,014 49% 12.9
4 10,244 24% 16.8
5 2,700 6% 19.4
The statistics for priorities levels 1 and 2 can likely viewed as a single category, as can 4
and 5, based on the comparability between each in terms of response time performance.
At each level, the median response times represent an exceptional level of performance.
If patrol resources were severely under-capacity relative to their workload, response
times -particularly for lower-priority calls for service -would often be extended due to
situations where no officers are available to handle a call.
The following charts provide another way of visualizing response time performance,
showing the probability that a call is responded to within a given timeframe, by priority
level. The further the curve is pulled up to the left side of the chart, the more likely it is
that calls will receive a quick response:
Matrix Consulting Group 17
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
ADCD: Probability of a Call Response Within a Given Timeframe
100°1o
Priority 5
75°1o
50°1o
25°1o
0°1o
0 min. 30 min. 60 min. 90 min. 120 min.
Area 1: Probability of a Call Response Within a Given Timeframe
1 00"/4
Priority 5
75°1o
50%
25°1o
0%
0 min. 30 min. 60 min. 90 min. 120 min.
Matrix Consulting Group 18
Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Area 2: Probability of a Call Response Within a Given Timeframe
1 00"/o
-
Priority 5
75%
50%
25%
0%
0 min. 30 min. 60 min. 90 min. 120 min.
Area 3: Probability of a Call Response Within a Given Timeframe
1 00"/o -Priority 5
75%
50%
25%
0%
0 min. 30 min. 60 min. 90 min. 120 min.
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
The shape of each response time curve is largely the same in each district, indicating that
response times are universally low across all area commands.
(5) Overview of Call for Service Workload Factors
The previous chapter of the report examined various trends in patrol workload, including
variations by time of day and of week, common incident types, as well as a number of
other methods . This section advances this analysis, detailing the full extent of the
resource demands that these incidents create for responding patrol personnel.
Each call for service represents a certain amount of workload, much of which is not
captured within the handling time of the primary unit. Some of these factors can be
calculated directly from data provided by the department, while others must be estimated
due to limitations in their measurability.
The following table outlines the factors that must be considered in order to capture the
full scope of community-generated workload, and provides an explanation of the process
used to calculate each factor:
Factors Used to Calculate Total Patrol Workload
Number of Community-Generated Calls for Service
Data obtained from an export of CAD data covering a period of an entire year that has been
analyzed and filtered in order to determine the number and characteristics of all community-
generated activity handled by patrol officers.
The calculation process used to develop this number has been summarized in previous
sections.
Calculated from MBPD data: : 0.85 backup units per call for service (Citywide)
1.05 backup units per call for service (ADCD)
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Primary Unit Handling Time
The time used by the primary unit to handle a community-generated call for service,
including time spent traveling to the scene of the incident and the duration of on-scene time.
For each incident, this number is calculated as the difference between 'call cleared' time
stamp and the 'unit dispatched' time stamp.
In the experience of the project team, the average handling time is typically between 30 and
42 minutes in agencies where time spent writing reports and transporting/booking prisoners
is not included within the recorded CAD data time stamps.
At 52 minutes citywide and just under 48 minutes in the ADCD, Miami Beach is well above
the normal range for most jurisdictions.
Calculated from MBPD data : : 52.0 minutes of handling time per call for service (Citywide)
47.9 minutes of handling time (ADCD)
Number of Backup Unit Responses
The total number of backup unit responses to community-generated calls for service. This
number often varies based on the severity of the call, as well as the geographical density of
the area being served.
This number can also be expressed as the rate of backup unit responses to calls for service,
and is inclusive of any additional backup units beyond the first.
Calculated from MBPD data: 0.85 backup units per call for service (Citywide)
1.05 backup units per call for service (ADCD)
Backup Unit Handling Time (multiplied by the rate)
The handling time for backup units responding to calls for service is calculated using the
same process that was used for primary units, representing the time from the unit being
dispatched to the unit clearing the call.
Calculated from MBPD data: 41.8 minutes of handling time per backup unit (Citywide)
42.2 minutes (ADCD)
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Numbe r of Reports Written
The total number of reports and other assignments relating to calls for service that have
been completed by patrol units, estimated at one report written for every three calls for
service. This includes any supporting work completed by backup units.
In this case, the number has been calculated from MBPD data using the disposition fields
for both primary and backup units. Nonetheless, it is important to note that this likely
overestimates report writing workloads, because disposition data is only captured for the
call overall. If three units responded to a call for service that required a report to be written,
regardless of whether one or all three of the units wrote a report, the CAD data will show a
report being written in the disposition field for all three responses .
Calculated from MBPD data: 0.37 reports written per call for service
Report Writing Time (mult ipli ed by the report wr it ing rat e)
The average amount of time it takes to complete a report or other assignment in relation to
a call for service . Without any data detailing this specifically, report writing time must be
estimated based on the experience of the project team. It is assumed that 45 minutes are
spent per written report, including the time spent by backup units on supporting work
assignments.
Estimated: 45 minutes per report
I Total Workload Per Call for Service
The total time involved in handling a community-generated call for service, including the
factors calculated for primary and backup unit handling time, reporting writing time, and jail
transport/booking time.
The product of multiplying this value by the calls for service total at each hour and day of
the week is the number of hours of community-generated workload handled by patrol units
-equating to approximately 74,200 total hours in 2021.
Calculated from previously listed factors :
104.5 total minutes of workload per call for service (Citywide)
108. 7 total minutes of workload per call for service (ADCD)
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Each of the factors summarized in this sect ion contribute to the overall picture of patrol
workload -the total number of hours required for patrol units to handle community-
generated calls for service, includ ing primary and backup unit handling times, report
writing time, and jail transport time. These factors are summarized in the following table:
Summary of CFS Workload Factors
Ci tywide ADCD
Total Calls for Service 42,596 7,194
Avg. Primary Unit Handling Tim e 52.0 min. 47.9 min.
Backup Units Per CFS 0.85 1 .05
Avg. Backup Unit Handling Time 42.2 min. 41 .8 min.
Reports Written Per CFS 0.37 0.37
Time Per Report 45.0 min. 45.0 min .
Avg. Workload Per Call 104.5 min. 108.7 min.
Total Workload 74,200 hrs. 13,035 hrs.
The ADCD includes 16. 9% of the city's calls for service, or 17.6% of the all workload
handled by Miami Beach patrol units. Average workload per call is comparable, with
ADCD being about 4 minutes higher than the citywide figure.
The workload generated in each district will be compared against staff's capacity to
handle it in order to determine whether current staffing is adequate .
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4. Patrol Proactive Time and Staffing Analysis
The analysis of the patrol calls for service provides the basis of the staffing needs
analysis by directly measuring the hours of workload that patrol must respond to in order
to meet community needs . But to provide a high level of service, it is not enough for patrol
units to function as call responders. Instead, officers must have sufficient time outside
of community-driven call handling to proactively address public safety issues, conduct
problem-oriented policing, and perform other self-directed engagement activities within
the community.
As a result, patrol staffing needs are calculated not just in terms of the capacity to calls,
but to be able to remain proactive in the field beyond these reactive workloads.
1 . Resource Needs Analysis
With this focus in mind, the following sections examine process used by the project team
to determine the patrol resource needs of the Miami Beach Police Department based on
current workloads, staff availability, and service level objectives .
(1) Overview of the Resource Needs Analysis
An objective and accurate assessment of patrol staffing requires analysis of the following
three factors:
i. The number of community-generated workload hours handled by
patrol.
i i. The total number of hours that patrol is on-duty and able to handle
those workloads, based on current staffing numbers and net
availability factors (e.g., leave, administrative time, etc.).
111. The remaining amount of time that patrol has to be proactive, which
can also be referred to as "uncommitted" time.
This study defines the result of this process as, patrol proactivity, or the percentage of
patrol officers' time in which they are available and on-duty that is not spent responding
to community-generated calls for service. This calculation can also be expressed visually
as an equation :
Total Net Available Hours -Total CFS Workload Hours
= % Proactivity
Total Net Available Hours
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The result of this equation is the overall level of proactivity in patrol, which in turn
provides a model for the ability of patrol units to be proactive given current resources and
community-generated workloads. There are some qualifications to this, which include the
following :
Optimal proactivity levels are a generalized target, and a single percentage should
be applied to every agency. The actual needs of an individual department vary
based on a number of factors, including:
Other resources the department has to proactively engage with the
community and address issues, such as a dedicated proactive unit.
Community expectations and ability to support a certain level of service .
Whether fluctuations in the workload levels throughout the day require
additional or fewer resources to be staffed to provide adequate coverage .
Sufficient proactivity at an overall level does not guarantee, based on workload
patterns, and deployment schedules, that resources are sufficient throughout all
times of the day and week.
In a unique service environment such as Miami Beach where community expectations
are high and the economy is driven in part of significant influxes of visitors and
entertainment activity, the proactive time level required is much higher -at least 50-60%.
Beyond these levels, there are diminishing returns in how proactive time can be used, as
discussed later in this chapter. However, each additional officer inherently contributes to
the overall perception of visibility, particularly in an area such as the ADCD .
{2) Patrol Officer Net Availability
Among the four patrol areas, 167 officers are serving in regular patrol or patrol-equivalent
roles (e.g ., RDA-assigned officers) roles. Out of the 2,080 hours per year that each officer
is scheduled to work in a year (excluding overtime), a large percentage is not actually
spent on-duty and available in the field.
As a result, it is critical to understand the amount of time that officers are on leave -
including vacation, sick, injury, military, or any other type of leave -as well as any hours
dedicated to on-duty court or training time, and all time spent on administrative tasks
such as attending shift briefings. The impact of each of these factors is determined
through a combination of calculations made from MBPD data and estimates based on
the experience of the project team, which are then subtracted from the base number of
annual work hours per position. The result of deducting each of these factors represents
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
the total net available hours of patrol officers, or the time in which they are on-duty and
available to complete workloads and other activities in the field.
In order to provide for a longer-term analysis of patrol staffing needs, pre-COVID MBPD
personnel data is used to construct net availability figures. Thus, COVID leave and any
leave usage related to COVID is not factored in, as well as any impact to training and court
hours that the pandemic has had.
The following table presents these statistics, calculating the total net available hours on
duty (excluding overtime) per officer:
Breakdown of Net Available Hours Per Officer
Base Annual Work Hours
Total Leave Hours
On-Duty Training Hours
On-Duty Court Time Hours
Administrative Hours
Net Available Hours Per Officer =
Number of Patrol Officers5 x
Total Net Available Hours =
2,080
279
72
20
390 4
1,319
769
222,885
In total, current staffing equates to 222,885 net available hours per year, representing the
time in which patrol officers are on duty and able to respond to community-generated
incidents and remain proactive.
(3) Proactive Time Analysis
Using the results of the analysis of both patrol workloads and staff availability, it is now
possible to determine the remaining time in which patrol units can function proactively.
The result can then function as a barometer from which to gauge the capacity of current
4 Administrative time is based on an estimate of 130 minutes per shift worked. This estimate is
higher than the typical norm, and was constructed as a result of input that a significant amount
of community engagement time and other responsibilities are not captured within department
information management systems.
5 Patrol officer figure refers to filled positions only, and includes any officers serving in patrol or
patrol-equivalent roles. Largely proactive units, such as the 71 st Street Beat, are not included in
the count, but should be considered as an additional proactive resource beyond this number.
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
resources to handle call workload demands, given objectives for meeting a certain
service level.
The following table shows the calculation process used by the project team to determine
overall proactivity levels, representing the percentage of time that patrol officers have
available outside of handling community-generated workloads:
Calculation of Overall Patrol Proactivity
Total Patrol Net Available Hours
Total Patrol Workload Hours
Resulting# of Uncommitted Hours
Divided by Total Net Available Hours
Overall Proactive Time Level
=
=
222,885
74,200
148,686
222,885
66.7%
At just under 6 7% overall proactive time, the results indicate that there is an extraordinary
level of proactive time available to MBPD officers to engage with the community, provide
visibility, and proactively address public safety issues.
The following chart shows this analysis at a more detailed level, providing proactivity
levels in four-hour blocks throughout the week:
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Proactivity by Hour and Weekday
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Overall
2am-6am 55%
6am-10am 65%
10am-2pm 72%
2pm-6pm 67%
6pm-10pm 69%
10pm-2am 70%
Overall 62% 61% 63% 72% 71% 69% 67% 67%
Proactive time is consistently available throughout the daytime and nighttime hours, with
no hours dropping below 54% overall proactivity. This is an exceptional finding, and
demonstrates that, at an overall level, staffing is sufficient to handle workloads and be
highly proactive.
However, this does not necessarily guarantee that proactive time is widely available in
each district, and so it is critical to examine needs at the district level specifically.
(4) Proactive Time by Area
Districts vary significantly in the workload they handle -particularly in Area 1, which
represents 42% of all calls for service handled by the department:
Calls for Service by Area (2021)
# Calls for % of Workload Per
Service Calls Call
ADCD 7194 17% 108.7 min .
Area 1 18042 42% 101 .7 min.
Area 2 9153 21% 107.5 min.
Area 3 8207 19% 103 .7 min.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••n•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ·····························•···············································
Total 42,596 100% 104.5 min.
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The following map illustrates the concentration of workload in the southern portion of the
city by shading each census block by the total number of calls that occurred over the
entire three-year period :
Calls for Service by Block (Low I ed1L / High )
From a perspective of the workload involved in handling calls for service, the higher-
activity areas do not end at the borders of the ADCD.
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Although workload is not evenly divided by area, this would not cause service level
inequities if staffing resources are distributed in proportion to workload. In comparison
to other area commands, the ADCD has an outsized complement of staffing resources.
Excluding the 8-officer SET team, 24% of the department's officers in patrol roles are
assigned to the ADCD, as shown in the table below:
Workload vs. Patrol Officers by Area
Workload # Patrol % of % of Patrol
Hours Officers Workload Officers
-----
ADCD 6 13,035 39 18% 26%
Area 17 30,584 44 41% 30%
Area 2 16,398 32 22% 22%
Area 3 14,185 33 19% 22%
Total 74,202 148 100% 100 %
Moreover, all districts have a higher ratio of staff to workload than Area 1 -by a
significant margin.
The relationship between workload and staffing translates directly to proactive time by
area . The fewer officers per hour of patrol workload, the lower proactive time will be. This
is demonstrated in the following charts, provide proactive time by hour citywide and
within each area command in 2021:
Patrol Proactive Time by Hour
Citywide 80 %
70% 71 % 73%76%73%
70% 67%
62% 63%
60 % 50 % 52% 53% 51%
56 % 54%
40%
20%
0%
12a 4a Ba 12p
6 Excludes the SET team, which is largely a proactive unit.
76%
57 % 58% 57 % 57%
4p
73 %71%72%
67 %
8p
7 Includes RDA staffing, given that they function as the primary call responders for that area when
they are on duty .
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
77% 83%79% 85% 84% 86%84% 79%81 % ADCD 80% 78% 75%74%72% 78% 77%
69% 68% 67% 64% 63%
60% 58% 58%
40% 36%
31%
20%
0%
12a 4a 8a 12p 4p Sp
Area 1 80%
66% 0 68% 70%
60% 64:(. 59% 60 % 60% 53% 56%52% 54%
49% 46% 47%
40% 39%38%
iiiii
24%22% 28%
20% II 0%
12a 4a Sa 12p 4p Sp
Area 2 80% 79% 77%
69% 69% 70% 72% 71 %73 %69 % 67%
59% 60%
60% 52%52%54% 55%
49% 49% 43%44%48 %47% 42%
40% 32%
20%
0%
12a 4a Sa 12p 4p Sp
79 % 83% 80%79%78% Area 3 80% 75%76%76%
66% 70% 71% 70%
59 % 60% 61% 63%61%
60% 54% 52%52% 48% 52% 49%
41%
40%
20%
0%
12a 4a Sa 12p 4p Sp
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Outside of minor imbalances in proactive capabilities exceeding 40+% by hour, only Area
2 reaches insufficient levels at any time of the day . This is exceptionally rare for agencies,
and indicates that MBPD patrol services are staffed at a high level relative to workload,
ensuring that proactive capabilities remain very high. The exception to this is in Area 1,
which was significantly affected by the uptick in calls for service in 2021, as discussed
later in the chapter.
(5) Reallocation of Resources to Balance Capabilities
In the case of Area 1, reallocation of resources is needed to address the deficiencies in
staffing during certain periods of the day -particularly in the late nighttime and early
morning hours, as well as the late evening. While this excludes the staffing provided by
the South of Fifth Beat, that assignment reflects two officers assigned from 11 :00AM to
9:00PM. If these officers are included as part of patrol staffing, proactive time rises above
30% during the late evening hours, sufficiently addressing that component of the staffing
issues.
Revisiting the earlier table comparing staffing to workload, only the ADCD and Area 3 are
allocated staffing levels proportionally higher than the percentage of workload they
handle. Given the unique needs of the ADCD, Area 3 presents a better opportunity to
rebalance staffing. Currently, 33 patrol officers are assigned to Area 3, resulting in an
exceptionally high proactive time level of 67%. Reducing the number of officers assigned
by four -one from each of the main day and midnight shifts, which are currently equally
staffed despite lower workload -would lower proactive time to 63%. This is still an
exceptionally high level of proactive time, and would represent no change to service
levels, either in terms of ability to conduct self-initiated activity or to achieve low response
times.
Reassigning the four officers to Area 1 instead -one to the Midnight shift that works
Saturday to Tuesday, and three to the Midnight shift working Thursday through Sunday -
would comprehensively address the staffing needs outlined earlier.
Including the effects of both the reallocation based on balancing workload, as well as
considering the South of 5th Beat officers as patrol, the following chart provides the
resulting proactive time levels:
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
80%
60% 56%
40%
20%
0%
12a
Area 1 Proactive Time Following Reallocation of Officers
70%
41% 38% 34% 36% 36%
4a
53%
46%
Ba
72%
60% 64%
72%
46%45%
33% 36% 31%
12p 4p 8p
64% 65% 60%
It is evident that the changes are effective in achieving significant mitigation of the
identified staffing issues, while presenting negligible impacts to the area from which the
personnel were reallocated .
Recommendations:
Reallocate three officers from Area 3 to Area 1, and assign the officers to
Midnight patrol shifts.
2. Use of Proactive Time
The analysis to this point has focused exclusively on the reactive portion of patrol
workload, consisting of community-generated calls for service and related work. In the
remaining available time, which is referred to in this report as proactive time, officers are
able to proactively address public safety issues through targeted enforcement, saturation
patrol, community engagement, problem-oriented policing projects, and other activity.
Equally critical to the question of how much proactive time is available is how and
whether it is used in this manner.
There are some limitations on how the use of proactive time is measured, however. Not
all proactive policing efforts are tracked in CAD data, such as some informal area checks,
saturation patrol, miscellaneous field contacts, and other types of activity. However,
many categories of officer-initiated activity are nonetheless recorded, such as traffic
stops, predictive policing efforts, and follow-up investigations.
Nonetheless, CAD data does provide for a significant portion of officer-initiated activity
to be analyzed to examined for how utilized uncommitted time is for proactive policing.
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{1) Self-Initiated Incidents by Hour and Weekday
Self-initiated activity displays different hourly trends compared to community-generated
calls for service, as illustrated in the following table:
Self-Initiated Incidents by Hour and Weekday (Citywide)
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu F ri Sat Total
12am 216 185 168 148 140 138 188 1, 183
1am 244 169 160 155 145 147 194 1,214
2am 27 9 200 161 152 162 209 324 1,487
3am 3 7 2 65 183 141 165 27 1 297 1,639
4am 261 203 164 111 143 203 238 1,323
5am 247 224 2 10 167 165 210 205 1,428
6am 2 31 256 21 9 2 1 8 144 191 176 1,435
7am 205 227 173 155 142 169 186 1,257
8am 217 214 168 162 85 161 129 1, 136
9am 1 51 159 120 88 73 132 124 847
10am 9 7 9 8 1 03 63 63 85 72 581
11 am 8 5 87 7 8 65 92 89 77 573
12pm 103 10 9 113 1 1 5 145 129 97 811
1 pm 129 1 51 151 110 150 1 15 114 920
2pm 126 170 162 147 150 130 131 1, 016
3 pm 2 1 1 18 1 1 88 131 130 154 161 1, 156
4pm 188 222 2 2 1 136 171 1 85 170 1,293
5pm 206 794 186 147 164 165 169 1 , 231
6pm 16 7 1 89 175 145 138 146 158 1 , 11 8
7pm 177 161 160 140 114 143 799 1,094
8pm 1 82 172 170 121 127 165 2 04 1 , 141
9pm 206 183 1 89 125 138 172 2 33 1,246
10pm 238 195 196 142 134 186 2 45 1,336
11 pm 234 2 20 186 131 132 196 234 1 ,333
Total 4,717 4 ,434 4 ,004 3,215 3,212 3, 891 4,325 27,798
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Officer-initiated activity is relatively sparse on Wednesday and Thursday compared to
other days of the week. Interestingly, the variation from the average on these days is far
greater than the same variation pattern for community-generated calls for service.
Self-initiated incident patterns for the ADCD specifically are provided in the following
table:
Se lf-Initiated Incidents by Hour and Weekday (ADCD)
Hour Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
12am 1 13 70 53 54 60 65 93 508
1 am 121 74 63 59 65 75 104 561
2am 13 6 100 68 68 68 109 14 9 698
3am 1 56 109 62 59 72 126 121 705
4am 114 74 54 38 61 66 79 486
5am 101 57 58 54 67 74 86 49 7
6am 64 42 36 45 32 46 39 304
7am 53 32 46 27 34 39 38 269
8am 35 33 35 25 12 29 15 184
9am 29 20 24 16 11 15 1 9 134
10a m 18 23 17 11 5 11 12 97
11 a m 16 13 5 0 13 5 9 61
12pm 11 11 10 6 14 12 6 70
1 pm 12 11 11 7 8 8 10 67
2pm 24 17 19 15 7 9 21 112
3pm 43 24 29 15 16 18 45 190
4pm 31 3 1 43 19 32 37 40 233
5pm 48 38 36 23 29 41 39 254
6pm 43 43 40 22 29 37 41 255
7pm 53 41 38 25 19 37 46 259
8pm 59 42 47 26 37 37 61 309
9p m 68 44 47 23 31 52 74 339
10pm 97 65 54 40 41 49 112 458
11 pm 96 70 53 47 40 68 101 475
Tota l 1 ,541 1 ,08 4 948 724 803 1 I 065 1 ,36 0 7,525
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Hourly and daily variation in self-initiated activity with in the ADCD largely mirrors that of
the citywide pattern, although the drop in activity on Wednesday and Thursday is not quite
as pronounced in the ADCD as it is citywide .
(2) Most Commo n Types of Self-Initiated Incidents
The following chart provides the most common types of self-initiated incidents
conducted by the Miami Beach Police Department:
Most Common Se lf-Initiated Inciden t s (Citywide)
Incident Type # CFS HT 12a 4a Sa 12p 4p Sp
TRAFFIC STOP 7,418 29.4
INVESTIGATION 4,293 40 .5
PARK AND WALK 4,098 19 .6
SUSP . PERSON 3,281 63 .7
WATCH ORDER 2,853 20 . 1
TRAFFIC DETAIL 2 ,671 32.6
DISTURBANCE 676 40 6
MED . EMERGENCY 293 102 .7
TRAFFIC CRASH 278 73.4 -SUSPICIOUS VEH 253 44.3
All Other Types 1,744 88.5
Total 27,798 38.4
Traffic stop are most common in the late night and early morning hours, peaking around
2 :00-4:00 AM. This is relatively unusual, with relatively sparse frequency of stops during
the daytime hours throughout the city . These patterns hold true for the ADCD specifically
as well:
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Most Common Self-Initiated Incidents (ADCD)
Incident Type # CFS HT 12a 4a 8a 12p 4p 8p
TRAFFIC STOP 2 ,365 33.7
SUSP. PERSON 1,420 73.0
INVESTIGATION 1,152 33. 1
TRAFFIC DETAIL 715 24 9
PARK AND WALK 499 19.5
DISTURBANCE 321 40 2
WATCH ORDER 156 25 .6
MED . EMERGENCY 123 123.4
SUSPICIOUS VEH 96 55.7 -LARCENY 75 67.3 ■
All Other Types 603 88 .6
Total 7,525 45.8
It is somewhat surprising that the self-initiated activity patterns align so closely, given
that the service environment of the ADCD is so fundamentally different from areas 2 and
3. However, this is also partly due to the percentage of personnel allocated to the ADCD
and Area 1.
(3) Utilization of Net Available Time
Taking this perspective further, the total workload involved in handling community-
generated calls for service and self-initiated incidents can be combined ihto a total
utilization figure. Expressed as a percentage, total utilization shows how much of officers'
net available time on duty is accounted for in CAD events -whether it is community-
generated or self-initiated . The following chart presents this analysis on a basis of four-
hour blocks by day:
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Total Utilization {CFS+ SI Workload as a% of Net Available Hours (Citywide)
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Overall
2am-6am 57% 62% 60% 51% 52% 58% 58%
6am-10am 59% 49% 37% 35% 34% 39% 49% 42%
10am-2pm 39% 36% 37% 26% 31% 33% 34% 34o/o
2pm-6pm 48% 51% 53% 36% 41% 43% 41% 42%
6pm-10pm 48% 57% 50% 32% 37% 39% 39% 40%
10pm-2am 42% 39% 40% 30% 29% 33% 29% 38%
Overall 47% 49% 46% 35% 37% 40% 41% 42%
Total Utilization {CFS+ SI Workload as a% of Net Available Hours (ADCD)
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Overall
2am-6am 35% 37% 33% 29% 54%
6am-10am ■ 44% 49% 51% 42%
10am-2pm
2pm-6pm
6pm-10pm
10pm-2am
Overall
36% 23% 18% 12% 19% 31% 23%
60% 53% 57% 37% 36% 43% 30%
58% 47% 46% 31% 35% 41% 28%
37% 25% 34% 28% 46% 44% 19%
41% 38% 35% 28% 41% 48% 33%
43°/o
58%
23%
39%
30%
36%
38%
It is importan t to st ress that not all officer-directed activity is recorded in CAD, and t hus
no t i ncluded in the percentages shown above. Furthermore, a portion of the remaining
t i me simply represents gaps between calls -some of wh ich as short as five min utes and
not useable in a mean i ngful capacity for proactive policing. None t heless, a significant
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percentage of officer time is available time outside of handling community-generated and
self-initiated workloads .
It should not be inferred from this that the unutilized time is inherently unproductive.
Instead, this is time during which officers are best able to be visible. The more officers
there are on duty that are not tied up handling calls or self-initiated activity, the greater a
presence MBPD is able to provide in the field.
3. Multi-Year Trends
The project team analyzed three years of data beginning in calendar year 2019. Each year
presents its own nuances:
2019 : The last pre-pandemic year, which can be used as a base for comparisons .
2020: Heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the spring as the
country entered lockdown . Multi-directional changes in calls for service and crime.
2021 : Begins soon after final restrictions were lifted in Florida, bringing with it
unique tourism and nightlife impacts to tourism, as many other states were not
locked down .
(1) Overall Call for Service Trends
The following charts overlay each year against monthly community-generated calls for
service totals, both citywide and within the ADCD (Art Deco Cultural District) specifically:
Monthly Call Activity in 2021 Compared to Previous Years
All Areas ADCD
700% 700%
2021
50% 2021 50%
0% 0%
-50% 2020 -50%
-100% -100%
Jan Apr Jul Oct Jan Apr Jul Oct
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Clearly, the entirety of MBPD faced moderately higher call volumes in 2021 compared to
both 2019 and 2020.
In the ADCD specifically, this difference was far more pronounced, with May 2021
featuring call activity nearly double that of the average month for the previous few years.
Although not as significant of an increase, the raised activity levels persisted until the
winter, where activity returned to normal.
It is clear that, in absence of the dip in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic began, call activity
falls regular patterns, with little variation from the mean in both 2019 and 2021. This is
the case for most departments in the experience of the project team. What is less
definitive, however, are the specific causes for the 2021 uptick, and whether these trends
will persist into the future.
Florida, like many U.S. states, enacted widespread restrictions on business and social
activity to mitigate the COVID-19 pandemic, with loosening of restrictions conducted in a
three-phase plan . The second phase allowed restaurants and bars to operate at 50%
capacity, and was reached sooner than many states provided for. This may have provided
for an initial influx of tourists into the state -and particularly Miami Beach -as a vacation
destination from more restrictive environments. On September 25, 2020, Phase 3 was
enacted, which ended all restrictions on capacity and gatherings. From that point, tourist
activity ramped up dramatically.
By January 2021, the influx becomes evident in call activity, particularly in the ADCD. As
vaccinations became more widespread by the spring of 2021, call activity had reached
nearly +100% of normal in the ADCD. However, by winter 2021, as most states had fully
or mostly re-opened, call activity returned to average levels.
This explanation may suggest that 2021 call activity may return closer to that of 2019
and 2020. However, this conclusion is far from certainty. Trends should be monitored
closely to see if early 2022 call activity in the ADCD correlates more with 2019 or 2021
call activity.
(2) Multi-Year Call for Service and Self-Initiated Activity Trends by Patrol Area
This same analysis can be completed on the area command level, comparing the
changes in community-generated call activity versus self-initiated activity by month over
the past three years:
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Calls for Service vs. Self-Initiated by Area (2019-2021)
ADCD Area 1
2,000 2,000
1,000 1,000
0 0
2019 2020 2021 2019 2020 2021
Area 2 Area 3
2,000 2,000
1,000 1,000
0 0
2019 2020 2021 2019 2020 2021
As calls for service decreased to normal levels in the late fall and winter of 2022, self-
initiated activity dropped in every area, including within the ADCD.
This analysis also adds perspective on the relationship between calls for service and self-
initiated activity. Area 1, which has the lowest proactivity time of the four area commands,
also retains the lowest ratio of self-initiated incidents per call for service. The ADCD,
which has by far the highest proactive time, also has the highest ratio of self-initiated
incidents, which have almost always over the past three years been more frequent than
community-generated calls for service.
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4. Patrol Staffing Conclusions
The analysis presents several crucial findings to our understanding of workload and
staffing in the ADCD and across the city :
Multiyear analysis of calls for service demonstrates that 2021 was an exceptional
year in terms of workload, even compared to before the pandemic.
Recent months of data suggest a potential return to more 'normal' levels of
workload, although this will need to be monitored.
In the ADCD and overall, staffing has the capacity to handle workload and remain
exceptionally proactive.
Based on staffing capacity, officers are able to be exceptionally visible in the
ADCD.
Current deployment of personnel within the ADCD using a mixed array of
approaches -foot, bike, ATV (Mule), and car -maximizes these capabilities and
aligns to the needs of the different service environments within the area.
Despite these findings, Area 1 is understaffed relative to the other districts at
certain times of the day.
Based on the analysis of workload and staffing data, there is no evidence to support the
idea that officers in the ADCD are understaffed or lacking in visibility. Nor is it evident that
the staffing of the ADCD has detracted from the service level capabilities in Areas 2 or 3.
The staffing deficiencies in Area 1, which comprise the southern part of the city
(excluding the ADCD), are relatively limited in scope and can be addressed with a
relatively minor reallocation of officers from other districts.
Given these considerations, the data does not justify adding staffing resources to the
field, either overall or within the ADCD specifically. Instead, this analysis will examine
other opportunities to boost visibility levels and ensure that a proactive focus is
maintained within the ADCD.
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Recommendation:
Current overall staffing within the ADCD is sufficient to handle workloads and
provide an exceptional level of service, and should be maintained at present
levels.
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5. Additional Strategies to Boost Visibility
(1) Establishing a Clear Strategy for Entertainment District Policing
Open container violations and individuals smoking marijuana are extremely widespread
throughout South Beach, as indicated both by MBPD personnel and from the point of the
view of the project team conducting ridealongs in the area on multiple evenings. On most
nights, at least one infraction could likely be found walking from one end of Ocean Drive
to the other. There is sufficient workload for a unit of officers to handle workload related
strictly.
The current practice in the ADCD is typically for officers will verbally warn individuals and
educate on local laws, in lieu of issuing a citation or arrest.
Zero tolerance is an alternative approach to mass disorder in entertainment districts,
where officers are directed to cite and arrest individuals for low-level offenses where
discretion would otherwise be the norm, such as for open containers of alcohol.
Demands for zero tolerance approaches often typically arise from a surge in public
political support, in order to show that action is being taken against an identified priority.
Taking a strict enforcement is seen as being responsive, and the implementation such a
policy is visible as officers conduct far more arrests .
In terms of their effects on reducing crime and disorder, however, research studies have
continually found that zero tolerance approaches do not generate significant crime
reductions 8 . Strict approaches to enforcing on low-level offenses does not influence
individual behavior in the long-run enough to reduce actual incidence of those low-level
offenses, nor more serious types of crime, such as violent felonies. It is an example where
increasing arrests does not inherently correlate to lower crime .
There are other effects of these policies that should be considered as well. Zero tolerance
policies can severely affect public opinion in the community that is predominantly
affected . Tourists, as well as Miami-area locals, that are cited may be less likely to visit
Ocean Drive and spend money in the future. Bars and restaurants, which depend on these
patrons, would see the department as an adversary to their business, and potentially less
likely to collaborate on public safety issues. As noted by the study authored by Thayer
and Berkley, "Given the multitude of violations in a large entertainment-district crowd,
officers must carefully choose their battles ... Overly-str ict approaches also drive away
8 Braga AA, Welsh BC, Schnell C. Can Policing Disorder Reduce Crime? A Systematic Review and
Meta-analysis. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency. 2015;52(4):567-588.
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patrons and jeopardize relationships with businesses the police department has spent
years cultivating ."9
Furthermore, Miami Beach is a tourist destination, and a significant portion of those
committing the open container and marijuana smoking offenses are likely part of the
visitor population. It is important to consider that many of these individuals travel from
states where marijuana has a different legal status (even if it cannot be smoked in public
nonetheless) or enforcement approach from law enforcement. Additionally, they may
have traveled to other tourist destinations, such as the Las Vegas Strip, where open
containers are fully legal. As a result, in many instances of these violations, violations can
occur not with disregard for the law, but out of a lack of awareness of the legal
environment in Miami Beach and Florida . These cases are of course not representative
of the entire offender population, · but nonetheless, the array of different situations
highlights the need for discretion to be employed -which is inherently incompatible with
a zero tolerance approach.
Perhaps the most significant issue with implementing a zero tolerance approach in the
ADCD is transitory nature of the tourist population. While every city with a large
entertainment district has tourists, it is arguably far higher of a proportion in Miami Beach
than in many other cities . Even if tourists are cited or arrested, it is not possible for their
long-term behavior to be impacted by that action because they live somewhere else.
Consequently, even if zero tolerance strategies were shown to be effective, the ADCD
would not be an ideal match for such a policy given the significant percentage of the
population that is visiting .
As a result of these considerations, adopting a zero tolerance approach in Miami Beach
-particularly the ADCD -would not achieve desired effects in terms of public safety, and
would likely be deleterious in damaging relationships with the business community that
are critical to long-term collaboration on public safety issues.
(2) Jail Transport and Booking
The Miami Beach Police Department operates a holding facility with six detention officers
assigned. They are responsible for the short-term holding of detainees prior to either their
release or transport to the county jail (Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation). The
detention officers also pick up arrestees in the field and transfers them to the
department's nearby detention facility. There, the they book the prisoners and transport
to county jail if necessary.
9 Berkley, Blair J., and John R. Thayer. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies &
Management, vol. 23, no. 4, 2000 .
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As a result, when there are transport units available, officers are not spending
time booking or transporting prisoners. Thus, the detention officers are a highly valuable
resource that allows officers more time to be visible and proactive in the field, rather
than taking an hour to two of their shift to book an arrestee.
Within this context, the project team examined alternatives such as establishing a
mobile booking unit. Examples of departments that operate such a unit are scarce -even
focusing on those with large entertainment districts. Moreover, establishing a mobile
booking unit would not provide additional benefit to MBPD officers in the field that the
transport unit does not already provide. If transport units are available, then officers do
not have to spend time transporting and booking the prisoner . The key factor, then, is
whether there is a detention officer available when someone is arrested, as they are a
finite resource as well.
Thus, another alternative would be to add additional detention officers to the transport
unit at peak activity times in order to reduce the likelihood of there being no transport
units available when an officer makes an arrest.
The project team evaluated this idea by mapping the frequency of calls that feature an
arrest using the disposition field recorded in CAD data . From this, a heatmap is
constructed showing when arrests are most likely to occur by hour and weekday. This
can then be juxtaposed against staffing levels across the week to determine whether
there is a mismatch in deployment versus expected workload :
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Detention Officer Staffing vs. Arrest Frequency (Ci tyw ide, 2027)
Hour Expected# On Duty
S M T W Th F Sa
0000 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.7 0.8
0100 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.7 0 .8
0200 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.7 0.8
0300 0.8 1.7 0 .8 0.8 1.7 1.7 0 .8
0400 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.7 0.8
0500 0.8 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 1 .7 0 .8
0600 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8
0700 0.8 1.7 1 .7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8
0800 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8
0900 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0 .8 0.8 0.8
1000 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8
1100 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0 .8 0.8 0.8
1200 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8
1300 0.8 1.7 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8
1400 1.7 1.7 0.8 0 .8 0.8 0.8 1.7
1500 1.7 1.7 0 .8 0 .8 0.8 0.8 1.7
1600 1.7 1 .7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.7
1700 1.7 1 .7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.7
1800 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.7
1900 1.7 1.7 0 .8 0 .8 0.8 0.8 1.7
2000 1 .7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0 .8 1.7
2100 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.7
2200 1.7 0.8 0.8 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8
2300 1.7 0.8 0 .8 1.7 1.7 0.8 0.8
Arrest Frequency
S M T W Th F Sa
Please note that the figures shown in the chart take into account net availability factors,
and represent the expected number of staff on duty without factoring in overtime.
The chart identifies a number of critical mismatches in when the detention officers are
deployed versus when arrest frequency is highest. In particular, detention officer staffing
drops from 2 to 1 in terms of scheduled staff (1.7 to 0.8 after factoring in net availability)
on Saturday nights at 2200 hours (1 O:OOPM). At this time, arrest frequency picks up
dramatically, reaching the highest point across the entire point. At 1 :ODAM on a Saturday
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
night/early Sunday morning, arrests are being made at six times the frequency compared
to a Tuesday morning-despite half the staff being on duty.
Clearly, addressing this issue should be a top priority, as it would free officers up to be
highly visible within the ADCD during the most critical times where they are needed. To
accomplish this, an additional detention officer position should be added and deployed
during the highest-activity periods of the week -from 2000 to 0400, Thursday through
Sunday. This is slightly staggered from normal night shift hours; however, the hours better
align with fluctuations in arrest workloads.
Recommendation:
Add one additional Detention Officer position that will be deployed on a
staggered night shift from 2000-0400, working Thursday through Sunday .
(3) SET Team
The Special Enforcement Team (SET) is allocated 8 officers, 1 sergeant, and 1 detention
officer, working from 1700 to 0300 on Wednesday through Saturday. Originally, the unit
functioned as a proactive crime suppression team within the Art Deco Entertainment
District (ADCD), deploying in unmarked vehicles, on foot, and other modes as needed.
The unit has a dedicated transport van attached to it, ensuring that the core detention
officers are able to assist regular patrol officers when arrests are made .
After a high-profile use of force incident resulted in the indictment of several MBPD
officers assigned to the unit, the SET team was effectively paused for a short period. The
unit was not disbanded, although tis officers have been deployed in different capacities .
This includes accompanying City of Miami Beach Code Enforcement teams on
walkthroughs of Ocean Drive, as well as the Parking Unit along Washington Ave and
Collins Ave (generally within the ADCD), in addition to more traditional focuses of the unit
on proactive suppression of crime. Nonetheless, 2021 data does not adequately convey
their activity.
It is evident that the new roles are not necessarily permanent solutions, and that the unit
continues to remain in a transition period. Steps will need to be taken to direct the unit's
long-term focus, as the unit represents a significant staffing commitment of 9 sworn
personnel. To this point, a unit such as the SET team is equipped to provide a proactive
element that targets the most critical public safety needs facing the ADCD.
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In determining long-term solutions for the unit's direction, how officers are deployed is a
critical question. If staffing for the SET team was set relative to the population on Ocean
Drive by hour, deployment would be relatively more dispersed, if not skewed toward the
daytime hours. The data shows, however, that this does actually not reflect when the
workload occurs -particularly more severe types of calls that the SET team is best
specialized to suppress .
This issue is examined further in the next section as part of the analysis of deployment
strategies in the ADCD .
(4) Optimizing the Deployment Plan
In the development of alternative shift schedules, the analysis is both quantitative and
qualitative. Any new configurations must balance the objectives of optimizing resource
deployment with the need to have the schedule be popular with officers and provide for
their quality of life concerns to be addressed.
Miami Beach is a dynamic and unique environment. The largest and most impactful
events, such as South Beach Wine & Food Festival, Art Basel, Spring Break, and Miami
Music Week, create public safety needs that are far beyond what regular staffing is able
to meet, requiring an overtime-centric approach to special events. Staffing plans and
deployment schedules for typical weeks cannot be designed to accommodate the influx
of calls and security needs that occur from these events. Nonetheless, in a department
where overtime is so widely available and worked, the shift schedule should take into
account the relief factor needs within this context.
From a quantitative perspective, the 10-hour system worked currently has a number of
advantages. It allows for differential staffing levels at key times of the day when more
officers are needed to handle higher workload levels. Fixed workdays also provide for
resources to be maximized on certain days of the week . In a 10-hour schedule, regular
workdays also allow for more staffing resources to be deployed on certain days.
Furthermore, as opposed to a 12-hour system, the 10-hour schedule allows for more
overtime hours to be worked at the end of a shift when needed. All of these factors are
critical in a service environment such as Miami Beach, where needs vary extensively from
day to day based on expected activity levels.
Nonetheless, the details in terms of how overlaps are structured and how staffing levels
are set by shift are critical to be able to utilize the advantages of the 10-hour shift system.
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( 4.1) Adjusting Shift Schedules by Workday
Officers assigned to the ADCD, including the SET team, currently work 10-hour shifts 4
days per week . All officers have a shared overlap workday on Saturday, as shown in the
following chart:
Current ADCD Deployment Schedule
I Week 1 I Week 2
Team Start End s M T W Th F Sa S M T W Th F Sa # Officers
Days 0600 1600 4
Days 0600 1600 5
Afternoons 1500 0100 5
Afternoons 1500 0100 4
Nights 2000 0600 8
Nights 2000 0600 13
SET 1700 0300 8
This configuration deploys critical additional resources on Saturdays, with double the
number of officers that would otherwise be on duty. This is effective for increasing
visibility on the day where there are more officers, but consequently presents issues for
other days of the week. With a finite number of staff assigned, any day where there are
above average numbers deployed consequently results in below average numbers
deployed on other days . By having only one shared overlap day and just two sets of
workdays, this tradeoff is taken to the extreme.
While Saturday has twice the number of officers deployed, it is not necessarily true that
there is twice the workload.
Focusing on the hours of 1700 to 0700, the following chart shows the total hours of
workload in the ADCD by day of week :
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Workload Hours by Day of Week (ADCD, 2021)
2,000
f 1, 75~
11,439 ! 1. 493 1
1,366 11~ I 1. 190
I
1,000 I r 991 I I
J I
I l _ _J
I
0
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Note .· As in the previous charts, any workload past 11:59 PM on a Saturday night is
counted on Sunday
It is evident that the overlap day, Saturday (and past midnight into Sunday), is extremely
busy. However, Friday night (and into Saturday night) is also quite busy -as are Monday
and Tuesday, days in which the SET team does not work.
Clearly, even if Saturday night had double the visitor population in the ADCD compared to
other days, it does not have double the patrol workload or frequency of violent crimes to
support it being the only day with higher staffing. Given that the workload is more spread
out over other days, staffing resources should be more spread out as well.
To address this, assignment of officers to workdays should be staggered, as opposed to
the current approach, which places officers on one -of two workday sets -either
Wednesday through Saturday or Saturday through Tuesday. Instead, officers could be
staggered as follows:
Most officers would stay on the same shifts.
For every shift team, an additional set of workdays would be created that is
staggered back one day.
For teams working Saturday through Tuesday, there would be an additional team
working Friday through Monday.
For teams working Saturday through Tuesday, there would be an additional team
working Friday through Monday.
On Day and Afternoon shifts, the staggered teams would each have 1 officer
assigned.
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On the Night shift, the staggered teams would have 2 officers assigned.
This would alter the schedule configuration to the following:
Recommended Staggered Schedule for ADCD Units
jweek 1 jweek2
Team Start End s M T W Th F Sa S M T W Th F Sa # Officers
Days 0600 1600 3
Days 0600 1600 1
Days 0600 1600 4
Days 0600 1600 1
Afternoons 1500 0100 4
Afternoons 1500 0100 1
Afternoons 1500 0100 3
Afternoons 1500 0100 1
Nights 2000 0600 6
Nights 2000 0600 2
Nights 2000 0600 11
Nights 2000 0600 2
SET 1700 0300 8
The newly created staggered teams are shown in blue .
As a result of implementing this schedule, Saturday would retain exceptional capabilities
to be visible and proactive, while staffing on Friday would be bolstered significantly.
Additional staggering can be done to enhance staffing on other days as needed, such as
Thursday or Sunday as a shared overlap for some officers . It is also important to note
that this change is cost neutral -the same number of officers are used in the alternative
schedule compared to the current configuration .
Recommendation :
Adjust the shift configuration for Patro l teams assigned to the ADCD as
indicated in the analysis in order to stagger officer schedules and balance
capabilities across the workweek .
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(4.2) Adjusting Shift Schedules by Hou r
The following chart provides an analysis of certain types of calls that occur more
frequently in the ADCD relative to other districts, showing when they are most likely to
occur:
Frequency of Selected Call Types Within the ADCD (2021)
BATTERY
ASSAULT
LEWD CONDUCT
NOISE COMPLAINT
BATTERY W/ WPNS
ROBBERY
INTOXICATION
SEXUAL OFFENSE
SHOOTING
00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
•· ······----•·••-•·· •••••••••••
·•··••·· .. ······•···-·-..........
••·····••· . .
. . ·•· .... ·-•
•••••••••••••••••• • ••••
• • • • • • • • • . . . . . . . . .
• • • • • • • • • • • •
•• •
Offenses such as shootings, assaults, robberies -the types of crimes that involve
significant resources to handle and receive the bulk of public attention -are concentrated
across a relatively defined range of hours . Beginning in the late afternoon, they gradually
increase in frequency before reaching a maximum level that plateaus until the early
morning hours, after which they taper off sharply .
Although the fluctuation in patrol call for service workloads by hour is similar to this, it is
not exactly the same:
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ADCD Workload by Hour
12a 4a 8a 12p 4p 8p
The pattern for hourly variation in overall workload does not align precisely with the
pattern for the selected call types that was outlined earlier. Nonetheless, the workload
variation trends do indicate that the same period during the nighttime and early morning
hours is when workload is maximized.
The SET team, a key proactive resource attached to the ADCD, works from 1700 (5:00PM)
until 0300 (3:00AM). However, looking at the chart, the call workloads in the ADCD do not
taper off until 7:00AM or so, and their start time is too early to capture the bulk of hours
where there is higher workload.
Many bars and nightclubs in the area do not close until 5:00AM, despite recent attempts
over the past year to push closing time earlier to 2:00AM . Nonetheless, with the SET team
working until 3:00AM -two hours earlier than bar closing time, there is currently a clear
mismatch in deployment versus their needs. In practice, overtime fills a significant
portion of this game, and it is not every night that South Beach is highly active from the
3:00AM to 5:00AM period. As a result, any changes
With these considerations in mind, the department should seasonally adjust SET team
hours to cover the later period, and shift SET officer work hours later until bar closing time
-reflecting the uptick in severe calls around that time on certain nights. This also
highlights an important distinction between deploying in a capacity that boosts visibility
from the perspective of the general public, versus boosting visibility in the entertainment
district to suppress crime and disorder. Shifting hours later for the SET team presents a
tradeoff between being more visible in the early evening (and thus more visible to a higher
number of people) versus being more visible at a time when the events the unit is tasked
with suppressing are more likely to occur.
Seasonally adjust SET team hours later to better align with the hours where when violent
crimes such as shooting, robberies, and assaults are most likely to occur within the
ADCD .
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Recommendation:
Seasonally adjust SET team hours later to better align with the hours where
when violent cr imes such as shooting, robberies, and assaults are most likely to
occur within the ADCD , working from 7:30 PM to 5:30 AM .
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6. Technology Utilization Assessment
The use of technology to assist police departments has increased in the last several
years. As part of the overall assessment of the entertainment area analysis an analysis
of the use of technology used to assist the police department in helping to provide a safer
entertainment area. To conduct the assessment the following analysis was conducted:
Analysis of gaps in technology: Are there technologies that could be utilized that
aren't currently used by MBPD?
Issues and limitations with information/data sharing and coordination: Is
technology used effectively or are there issues with current technology?
A review of available technology: Are there technologies that could be deployed
to improve efficiency or service?
Comparison of MBPD's use of technology against best and prevailing practice;
deployment activities: Does MBPD leverage the use of technology to meet best
or prevailing practices?
To conduct this analysis the project team conducted interviews with police department
staff, personnel from other departments and conducted a survey of widely used police
technology.
1. Current Use of Police Technology
The following table outlines current technology used by police departments with brief
explanation of the technology and if or how MBPD uses the technologies:
Technology Typical Utilization Does Miami Beach Have/Use?
----------
Acoustic Shooting
Detection System
Automatic License
Plate Reader (ALPR)
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No-Don't have.
Automatic License Plate Readers use Yes-MBPD deploys both fixed
high speed cameras that run the video and mobile ALPR.
feed through an optical character
recognition software system. This
allows the system to identify license
plates and then run them
automatically through multiple
databases in real time.
If a "hit" on database occurs dispatch
and officers operating the ALPR or
other receivers can be alerted that a
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Technology Typical Utilization
--------------
Body Worn Cameras
(BWC)
Crime Scene
Scanners
Drones
Electronic Ticket
Writers / Printers
Facial Recognition
Software for video
recovered from
public cameras
Mobile Command
Post
Online Reporting
Matrix Consulting Group
wanted vehicle has crossed a fixed
location or in vehicle mounted units
Body Worn Cameras record audio and
video of police encounters . BWCs
provide both evidence for court cases
and police accountability .
Crime scene scanners use laser
scanners and digital imaging to
document crime scenes more
efficiently and accurately .
Drones provide users with the ability
to record a scene or to l ive view an
incident from above .
Electronic Ticket Writers provide
officers with an efficient method of
writing citations that is typically faster
than hand written tickets because
they can upload relevant driver/
suspect data into the machine once
identification is entered .
Facial recognition software performs
analysis of digital images to locate
matches of known individuals that are
stored in a database. The software
can help identify potential suspects to
crimes that are captured with a digital
image.
Mobile command posts provide
incident commanders access to
technology from the field . Common
features are Computer Aided Dispatch
(CAD) access, live links to multiple
video feeds, additional
communications systems including
satellite and radio, a conference room
and restroom .
Allows community members to file
low priority or minor crime reports
online from home freeing officers to
investigate ore serious crimes or
Miami Beach, FL
Does Miami Beach Have /Use?
Yes-MBPD assigns all uniform
officers who work patrol BWCs .
Yes-They have FARO Laser
forensic scanners for crime
scene processing .
Yes-They have drones and FAA
cert ified pilots deployable most
hours .
Yes -Vehicles are equipped with
Electronic Ticket Writers and
printers.
Yes-They can run video through
the Pinellas County FACES
program that conducts facial
recognition analysis post
incident (not live feed use).
Yes -They have one which can
be used for the enterta i nment
area, special events or critical
incidents.
Yes -The department uses
online reporting and they also
take traffic complaints online .
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis
Technology
Mobile Finger Print
Scanners
Mobile Report
Writing
Typ ic al Utilization
spend more time on community
engagement.
Mobile finger print scanners are used
to take a digital image of an arrested
subjects fingers which can then be
checked against the fingerprints of
known individuals . They are most
commonly used when the identity of
an individual is in question .
Mobile Report Writing allows officers
to write reports while in the field. This
technology is typically used for
shorter reports.
Miami Beach, FL
Does Miami Beach Have /Use?
Yes-They have these fielded 24
hours a day .
Yes-MBPD uses mobile report
writing, though longer reports
are typically comp leted at the
station.
Mobile Booking
Facility
Mobile booking facilities typically No-Don't have .
Public Cameras
Red Light Cameras
Text to 911
include finger print scanners, digital
cameras for intake photos and report
writing stations. They can also include
temporary property storage and
supplies needed for mass arrest
situations .
Public cameras allow police
department to "live" view critical areas
and to record video from key
intersections or locations . Though
they have some preventative
applications
Red light cameras use high speed
cameras that are connected traffic
lights that can photograph vehicles
and automatically issue tickets for red
light traffic violations.
Text 911 allows community members
to text the police department instead
of calling . This allows users to make
contact with a dispatcher while not
drawing attention to themselves .
(1) Police technology Not Used
Matrix Consulting Group
Yes-Over 800 currently
installed. An additional 600 to
800 will be installed in public
parking structures . Monitored
by light duty officers and
dispatch when needed. Will be
incorporated into their Real
Time Crime Center.
Yes-They have 10 cameras
now, going to 15 on key
intersections / roads .
No-The department is moving
to this technology but is not yet
operational.
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Out of the 14 noted types of common police technology MBPD uses 11 . Three types of
technology not used are detailed in the following section.
{1.1) Mobile Booking Facility
Mobile booking facilities allow a police department to fully process an individual for
committing a crime. In our survey of law enforcement organizations, we were unable to
locate a department that currently uses this technology. Mobile processing facilities are
a valuable tool for mass arrest situations where the intention is to do formalized booking
and immediate release with a citation in lieu of custody, most notable large protests.
Mobile booking facilities have some significant disadvantages when used for routine
police activities or in entertainment zones which are noted below:
• They require a dedicated staff which could be under-utilized when there are few
arrests.
• They allow an arrested individual and any associates to remain in the area possibly
causing further disturbances.
• They do not eliminate the need for transport to a detention facility for serious
crimes and may create duplication of effort. E.g., A person brought into a mobile
booking facility must be searched prior to processing (likely the second search of
the individual). If it is determined the person has to be transported to jail, a third
search by policy should be conducted if it is not the arresting officer and upon
entry at the detention center another search of the individual will be conducted . In
a typical arrest only two searches are completed-upon arrest and during intake at
the detention facility.
An additional disadvantage in Miami Beach is the entertainment zone has a high
pedestrian count and which would require the establishment of a safe zone around the
mobile booking facility so that intake officers can focus on the intake process. This would
require additional personnel. The police station is only 3 blocks from the Entertainment
zone and most processes that could be done at the mobile booking facility could be
completed there while if a subject is going to be "booked" into the detention center they
would still require transport.
{1.2) Acoustic Shooting Detection System
Acoustic Shooting Detection System known commonly by the leading brand name as
"Shot Spotter" is a very effective tool at detecting shooting incidents and giving officers
the ability to respond quicker because they receive immediate alerts instead of waiting
for community members to call 911. Miami does not use this technology because they
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
reported only 81 incidents during a one year time frame and in the entertainment zone
officers are often on foot and can hear shots if they are fired. The addition of this
technology may have limited benefit to address issues specific to the entertainment
zone.
{1.3) Text to 911
A text to 911 system is in the process of being set up with a completion date expected in
the next few months. Text to 911 will enhance the department's ability to receive calls for
service and may prove to especially useful in the entertainment zone where there may be
reluctance to call the police before an incident occurs. Some individuals may feel more
free to text an incident in than to call, especially if they may feel peer pressure to do
nothing.
(1.4} Technology Gaps
In reviewing current technology used by MBPD there were no identified technology gaps
at this time. The MBPD has a full time technology officer that is in constant contact with
technology vendors to keep current on emerging technology .
(1.5} Potential Technology Efficiencies and or improved Service
The MBPD uses multiple systems that increase efficiency most notably online reporting
that allows community members to make police reports for low level crimes from home.
The system is integrated with the current records management system and all reports
are still reviewed . This frees officers to investigate more serious crimes and also to have
the ability to be more proactive. This also reduces the wait time for police response to
other incidents since police officers are not involved in report taking for unsolvable
crimes and where there is no public risk.
2. Diagnostic Assessment of Technology use Practices
The project team analyzed several technology practices of the Miami Beach Police
Department against best practices or emerging practices for technology use . The team
specifically examined use, operations and areas that are emerging practices of modern
law enforcement. The assessment relies on both interviews and documents provided.
There are three areas to the diagnostic assessment which are detailed below:
• Best Practice / Operational Target -This is the subject area under review and
what is the best practice or operational target.
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Final Rep o rt on the Entertainment Ar ea Deployment Analysis Mia m i Beach, FL
• Meets Target / Does not meet Target -An area that meets target has been
reviewed and with analysis the project team identifies that the MBPD generally
meets best or emerging practice.
• Comments I Improvement Opportunity -This area identifies what MBPD is doing
to meet the target or how it is not meeting the target.
Best Practice/ Operational Target
Automatic License Plate Reader
(ALPR). The department uses the
technology to locate stolen vehicles or
vehicles of interest in reported crimes .
Body Worn Cameras. Officers that
interact with the public are assigned
cameras and polices for use meet best
practice for capturing police-public
contact.
Crime Scene Scanners . Crime scene
Scanners are used on complex crime
scenes or crime scenes of a serious
person felony.
Drones . Drones can be deployed to
provide an overhead view and the
drone operator(s) are FAA certified .
Electronic Ticket Writers / Printers .
Vehicles or officers are equipped with
technology that helps to speed up
ticket writing and citation accuracy .
Facial Recognition Software from
cameras. Facial recognition software
is used to assist in solving serious
crimes .
Mobile Command Post. A command
post is available for critical incidents or
for use on large public events.
Matrix Consulting Group
Meets
Target? Comments/ Improvement Opportunity
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
The department uses ALPR in both fixed
locations and mobile. The department utilizes
this system on main transportation corridors
and so functionally all vehicles entering or
traveling through Miami Beach will pass an
ALPR system at some point.
All officers working in public are equipped
with BWCs and policies for use meet best
practice.
Crime scene scanners are used on major
crime incidents to digital document the
scene.
The department has a drone program and
currently an FM certified operator.
The department has this technology in all
vehicles. (Currently upgrading system).
Including golf carts and bikes.
The department participates in the Pinellas
County FACES program that conducts facial
recognition analysis post incident (not live
feed use).
The department uses the mobile command
post when there is a benefit for the incident
commander to be on scene.
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
Best Practice/ Operational Target
Mobile Finger Print Scanners . Finger
Print Scanners are available and
utilized .
Mobile Report Writing. Officers have
the ability to write minor reports from
their vehicles or tablets so that they
can stay deployed in the field .
Public Cameras. The department uses
cameras with both live feed and
recorded.
Red Light Cameras. Red light cameras
are placed at key intersections where
red light running or accidents have
occurred.
Meets
Target? Comments/ Improvement Opportunity
✓
✓
✓
✓
The department uses finger print scanners
and schedules the deployment of the devices
so that there is at least one available at all
times.
The department uses mobile report writing for
shorter reports which allows officers to
remain deployed in the field.
The department has an extensive network of
public cameras that cover all thoroughfares in
and out of the city and the entertainment area .
The cameras provide both a live feed ability
and they also record and store the video for
later use should a crime be reported .
Additional cameras are funded and will be
installed at public parking garages. The
department plans to install additional
cameras on Collins and Washington Avenues
but are waiting to see what changes may
occur with a current architectural study being
conducted. Additionally, once operat ional the
real time crime center will have public camera
feeds so that they can be monitored.
The department has red light cameras on key
roadways / intersections.
Based upon the assessment presented in the prior table, the Miami Beach Police
Department meets emerging or best practice relating to the use of technology.
3. Findings
The MBPD is well equipped with police technology and uses it to maximize resources .
There were no identified gaps in technology that were identified through this review,
though the department identified some gaps and has already instituted updates or plans
to address them . The use of a full time technology officer is a benefit to this process. The
MBPD deploys technology according best or emerging practice, and the technology is
leveraged to provide more efficient service.
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Final Report on the Entertainment Area Deployment Analysis Miami Beach, FL
The department has funded and is currently staffing a real time crime center which will
enhance its ability to respond to critical incidents and coordinate post-incident
investigations. Two crime analyst positions were recently authorized and are currently
being hired; however, this is not sufficient to create a fully functional operation that is able
to adequately support patrol. Staffing only two crime analysts means that, for a majority
of the hours across the entire week, there are no capabilities from the real-time center.
For expanded coverage, two additional crime analysts should be added, for a total of
total. This allows for them to be staggered across two shifts, working a combination of a
later day shift and afternoons shift that provides for coverage during hours of higher
activity within the ADCD.
Recommendation:
Increase staffing of the crime analysts assigned to the upcoming real-time crime
center operat ion by two positions, for a tota l of four FTEs authorized.
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