Last night’s North Miami Beach City Council meeting was a real eye opening experience for me. Fully expecting the “sea of blue” to the fill the Council Chambers, I knew I wouldn’t be getting a warm and fuzzy welcome from NMB’s Finest. But I certainly didn’t expect the open hostility and snide remarks from the so-called professionals who I had previously thought were civil servants. “Civil” being the operative word here. The police officers filled the Chambers and stood guard along the back and side walls with stern faces as if challenging anyone to “cross the picket line.” They also recruited a bunch of heretofore-unseen-at-City-Hall residents holding cute little signs saying “Hands off our police.” Nice touch.
I wonder if any of the cops who asked these folks to come support them also checked the public records to how much they paid in property taxes to the City of North Miami Beach like they did to me, as if the amount we pay in taxes is directly correlated to how much our voice is worth. Oh, wait, I know! Maybe the council should allot speaking time to residents based on how much they contribute to the coffers. We could even be required to present copies of our property tax bills before we’re allowed to speak and the Clerk can set the timer accordingly. Would that work for you guys? I’m just saying.
Those of us who are outspoken and informed community activists are sometimes referred to by certain council members as STP – the Same Ten People. We’re the annoying “hindrances” who study the budgets, attend the meetings, write letters to the newspaper, and most importantly, demand fiscal responsibility from our government. Granted, it’s a lot more than ten, but who’s counting? Somehow the cops managed to “organize” a group of “concerned” residents whose only knowledge of city business came from the union propaganda being spread like a virus throughout the city. They came out to City Hall in droves…well, not exactly droves…but enough to fill the first three or four rows of half the Chamber. I expect the cops will be able to draw them out again for the next several meetings, at least until the UNION contracts are finalized, and that’s probably the last we’ll see of them until the next round of contract negotiations are on the table. I’m guessing once all this budget stuff is over with, those folks will go back to their lives, content in believing they “made a difference,” and then quickly go about their business doing whatever it is they do the 99.99% of the time they’re not “concerned” about what goes on at City Hall.
The sad thing is that these people have no idea that the cops they’re supporting don’t give a rat’s ass about them or their “unappealing” neighborhoods. All they really care about is their own jobs. They have no idea that the very same cops who came knocking on their doors to help save their jobs call them animals, and worse, behind their backs. Unreal!
But for the rest of us – the ones who actually read the budget and do the research and make public records requests and call our representatives and attend council meetings and see the bigger picture – are painfully aware of the fact that when you run out of money the gig is up. We actually get it that you cannot continue to borrow money to pay the interest on borrowed money, because eventually you’ll hit your credit limit and that’s the end of the line. By that time, you’re pretty much screwed. And you don’t even get kissed.
It’s absolutely stunning to me that residents, some of whom actually should know better, are demanding that the current administration not fire any employees and maintain the same level of services to the residents, but yet somehow balance the budget. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand that “we’re broke” means, well, “we’re broke.”
Cities, counties, states and even the federal government have run out of cash. Entities like our water department, Broward County, and even the United States of America have had their credit ratings downgraded, which means it’s gonna cost even more to borrow enough money to just pay the interest on the money we’ve already borrowed. Raising the debt limit in Washington only means that Congress now has permission to borrow even more money that our children’s future income taxes won’t even be able to pay back in their own lifetime, much less their own children’s. I’m completely stymied how just about half the country doesn’t understand what that means.
I’m just as stymied how so many people in North Miami Beach, employees and residents alike, can expect absolutely no layoffs AND no reduction in services in this economy. As far as the police department goes, they refuse to accept the fact that every single department in NMB is expected to make cuts, including theirs. The pie has shrunk, and everyone’s share has to be reduced in accordance with the size of the slice they were entitled to in the first place. It only makes sense that if the police department’s share of the budget was roughly 50%, and the budget is cut, it needs to reduce its budget by 50% of the cut. While a bit more complicated than “community organizing,” this is still not rocket science. How the police department allocates its share of the cut, whether it be in the form of pay cuts, elimination of overtime, retiring the already retired (DROP participants), giving up take home cars, reforming their pensions, laying off personnel, or any combination thereof, is up to them. I would think that layoffs would be the last resort, but to hear the UNION tell it, this is their ONLY solution. Well, frankly, it’s THEIR choice.
The UNION president can declare until he’s blue in the face that the city is balancing the budget “on the backs of the cops,” but the truth is that he refuses to accept the fact that the city simply cannot afford to continue the destructive path on which it’s traveled for years. Every single department in North Miami Beach has to make cuts. There is no way around this mess but to confront it head on and deal with it. The day of reckoning has arrived. Whether or not the police department wants to have 113 cops on the street or 89, or somewhere in between, is entirely up to them.
All the blustering, preening and posturing by the cops won’t change a damn thing. If they can’t or won’t come to the table with a viable plan, it seems to me that the only recourse the city has is to simply not renew the police contract on September 30, 2011 and negotiate a new one with the Miami-Dade County Police Department.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Enough is Enough. MDPD is our future! Maybe even Miami Gardens PD? We could save money cause all we have to do is change the patch and badge if we go to MGPD. This is no surprise. It is only a matter of time and the time has come to move on. Their uniforms are cooler then ours, more room for advancement, SWAT, DB, Marine Patrol, Crime Scene, bike patrol. When do we start?
Unfortunately, that won’t necessarily save the city money. Cutting the police budget without salary cuts will undoubtedly lead to a reduced workforce, which will translate to reduced services. No drama here, just fact. If we impose salary cuts, you’re asking employees to take a $5K, 10K or higher hit. Tightening one’s belt is one thing, but these salary cuts may cause some to go into foreclosure on their homes. We have all had to tighten our belts over the last few years. No simple solution here. Some are calling for tax increases, others for salary cuts. Neither pill is hard to swallow for anyone. No magic bullet.
Honestly Pat, if you believe that taking a salary cut of 5K or 10K is going to put some of the officers in foreclosure than they really need to bag their lunches everyday. Everyday I see the men and woman in blue dining out for their meals, what do you think that cost? Hmmm, just a suggestion. Honestly these guys and gals are living way to close to the edge financially if this is what you think is going to happen to them. And, quite frankly this is not NMB’s problem, it’s theirs.
The last time Interim Chief Larry Gomer was before council, he said 89% of the PD budget goes towards salaries and pensions. That we know as $22 million or 52% of the general budget. 89% of this is $19.58 million.
If 24 officers and 13 civilians are to be potentially laid off to save $4 million, why can’t the remaining 86 officers do some belt tightening, as well as the 24 officers to be laid off, and save all the jobs the PD is proposing to dispose of?
All the salary and union negotiations should be done publicly and openly. Let the unions and other personell tell the people of our city they will not readjust salaries and prefer to cut heads instead.
Mubarak, I’m happy to see you know how to use a calculator. That’s about the only thing that has made any sense coming from you. Also I gotta ask you. Although I don’t patrol south of NE 159 St on NE 12 Av, according to your little world, how come when we do and you happen to see our police cars driving by, you call and complain that your being harassed. Hmmmmm…thought we didn’t know about that.
Yes indeed, Mubarak. Let the unions post their contracts on line for all to see.
The salary cuts required is much more than belt tightening at the personal level.
Like I was saying, it is time we move on. MDPD OR MGPD should take over Police Services. We need growth and this city is in financial trouble. This has been coming for a long time. Move on!!! Stop with what should have been and what could be! It is what it is! Thank G-D that the “24” are young enough to get other jobs. We have childen in this world who are being abused and starved. Make a difference in someones life and do something nice. Maybe try saying something nice. Maybe become a volunteer at a local shelter or go visit an elderly person in an old age home that has no family!
Life is too short!
NMB officers are fighting for their jobs for a reason. Who wants to be unemployed and lose their homes. Do you? These men and women have families to feed just like the rest of us. And of course they look upset – they have every right to be! Wouldn’t you? How many of us has had to face being laid off? I know my family has and we fought just like they are doing now. Furthermore, I know many of the these officers personally and they are not calling us residents “animals” and they do care a “rat’s ass” about us.
I never said that losing a job isn’t devastating. I also know that these cops have homes and families like the rest of us. I certainly hope there are no layoffs and I certainly hope that a better solution can be found. What I am saying is that there comes a point (and pardon the cliche) that you cannot squeeze any more blood from a stone. If there is no money and cuts need to be made, what do you propose? Do you have a solution? If so, I’d like to hear it. So would the entire police department, I’m sure. If you’re sitting on some miracle cure for this problem, let’s hear it.
As for what the cops say and think about our residents, why don’t you take a peak at their website, leoaffairs.com and look for the North Miami Beach PD page. Check out some of their comments on that page and see for yourself what they think of NMB residents. Calling the residents “animals” is mild compared to some of the choice words they use. It’s a real eye opener. I suggest you just visit and not post any comments. Personally, I wouldn’t dare trespass on their domain. That would be rude and intrusive.
“NMB officers are fighting for their jobs for a reason. Who wants to be unemployed and lose their homes. Do you? These men and women have families to feed just like the rest of us. And of course they look upset – they have every right to be! Wouldn’t you? How many of us has had to face being laid off? I know my family has and we fought just like they are doing now. Furthermore, I know many of the these officers personally and they are not calling us residents “animals” and they do care a “rat’s ass” about us.”
Kelvin “The Terminator” Baker fired quite a few NMB residents when he took office. No cops though. Not a one. Some of those fired are losing their homes. But no one give a rat’s about them, do they? Because they’re just worthless civilian employees. Who needs them?
I don’t believe for one minute that the comments on leoaffairs were left by cop haters. They were left by cops. Cops who have consistently voiced their opinion that they are far superior to other city employees, and the animal residents. Finally, they have shown their true colors. And finally, someone has paid attention.
Kienzle…I was just wondering, are you placing this much energy into the rest of the city budget? There are employees that have been with the city for years. These employees are outstanding and dedicated to there profession.
Ask yourself, is the city manager just looking at the salaries to cut to make his budget? Are the directors really knuckling down with there department heads to see who or what really should remain in the budget or has he or she just decided to redline, to make it work.
Yes, we are absolutely looking at every department, and there are plenty of cuts that should be made. The reason so many of these blogs are directed mainly at the PD is because of the anger and hostility the residents are feeling from the PD due to the proposed cuts. Please understand that the city really is in big financial trouble. Not too many people noticed or even cared when there was plenty of money to go around. A few activists have been on top of the financial issues for many years, when the problems actually started due to unbelievable amounts of spending and waste. Unfortunately, since the funds were flowing freely, most of the rest of the residents either weren’t paying attention or simply thought that the naysayers were just being negative and ornery. Sad to say I was also one of those who thought they were being dramatic. In the last few years, I have become much more involved in politics and much more cognizant about the budget and fiscal responsibility. The sad thing is that if former councils and city managers had been responsible and accountable, it would never have gotten as bad as it is now. We (the city) are not unique in the absolute madness that’s going on here. Cities all over the country are having the exact same problems. The thing is no one is saying the city employees aren’t doing their jobs or don’t deserve to keep them. But how are we going to pay for their salaries if there’s no money? I’d love more than anything to see a solution where no one gets fired.
You are right and they should be concerned, but life is full of uncertainty especially during these horrendous times as you well know. One thing I heard one of the officers say while watching public comment yesterday from the city’s website, is that we have development coming here and money will be here to support the budget. Hellooooo? That is precisely why you need to patrol our streets and do what you do best, because hope for what tomorrow may bring is no way to balance a budget. Besides it takes years for these projects to bring taxes in, IF in fact they materialize into anything
I propose we go to MDPD or Miami Gardens. Can someone please call them. Everyone will be happy!
So when the city goes to MDPD or elsewhere, and you hate when they dont respond right away, what will you propose next? Not only does the city need to look at today, they also need to look towards the future and what will be best in the longrun.
Leoaffairs is a public website that anyone can leave comments. Those comments were probably done by some of the “cop” haters. I can name a few. Can you? Don’t believe everything you hear or read.
It’s very easy to see who the cops are and who the “visitors” are by their comments. The non-cops (well known people in the community) are quickly eaten by the cops. Frankly, I don’t know why these people would offer themselves up as bait when they should expect to be attacked. And, rightly so, I might add. It may be a public website, but it’s my personal opinion that the cops should be left alone to their own site. Just my opinion, of course. By the way, I only know about it because a couple of people have sent me links or excerpts. You can get sucked in just reading one or two, but I have since learned not to venture there. I have no reason to be there. I only brought this up because someone said the cops don’t talk badly about the residents, but I know that’s not true. It might only be a small handful of them, but they can be pretty raunchy.
Are these “bad” cops one of the 24 potentially losing their jobs? I bet not….
First off with respect to LEO affairs, that is an open forum where anyone can go on there claiming to be an NMB officer and say the most vile things, so I would not lend a lot of weight to anything written on there. It is a known fact that certain citizens in NMB make it a habit to go on there posing as NMB officers and post the worst possible comments in order to give the perception that it is really and NMB cop saying, er, writing those things. Once at a council meeting LEO affairs was brought up because “an NMB cop” supposedly posted some rude comments about the council or certain members. I was shocked that in that type of open forum setting that council members would read it let alone think there was any validity to the comments.
As far as people at the PD taking a pay cut to keep the 24 the pay cut would have to be in the 40% neighborhood and that is just too much for anyone to take on. It wouldn’t be worth it to stay here with a 40% pay cut. I’m all for sacrifice but not to the tune of 40% of my pay.
But what I really wanted to address is you Steph. It was perfectly okay for you and your cause (getting rid of Myron) and people supported you in that effort. But apparently if anyone else has a cause important to them, I guess they are not allowed to seek support from the citizens, is that it? If it’s a cause you don’t support then, oh my God forbid, anyone else support it. I’m talking about citizens who attended to support the PD. The “cute” signs were being held by Margie Loves RAPP group; the Union had nothing to do with those signs. Margie and her members felt the need to come and support us as did several other “never before seen” citizens. But in the world according to you Steph, this is simply not allowed. At least that’s what I take from your post. Just because other people might be in “fear” of you or what you may write about them doesn’t earn you respect; it doesn’t mean that everyone has to kiss up to you when they see you either. So whether there were stern looks or not, that really bothers you? I’m no fan on Myron but I’m sure he got some stern looks from you and others and I never heard him complain about it.
I like reading your posts; there are informative and entertaining as well, but I think you’re flattering yourself thinking that just because you write a blog you deserve some kind of special treatment. Your just a human being like everyone else. There is a difference between being involved in politics and keeping an eye on things but when it becomes an obsession I think it’s to find a different hobby. Do you think Kazan might take the hint? 🙂
Thanks.
I think the people of NMB ( citizens and employees alike) realize that every city has someone like kienzle. Anyone who blogs about how honest they are and how trustworthy they are and on and on and on and how honest they are with million dollar accounts and on, well sounds like some insecurityissues with self. Tell me what you brag about and I’ll tell you what you lack.
Which begs the question, Brewman. If you don’t like me, and you don’t like what I write, why on earth are you still reading this blog? I’m certain no one is holding you hostage and forcing you to do so. The fact that you’re bothered by my trustworthiness and honesty speaks volumes about your lack of same. Tell me what you hate about anything and then look in the mirror. You really are starting to annoy me. I’m really glad I don’t know who you are.
Frank, thanks for writing. Even if you’re upset with me, and I do understand, I hope you know I always enjoy hearing from you. Until about an hour ago I had no idea that the signs were the brainstorm of Margie Love, although in retrospect I should have known. It has her thumbprint all over it, and it should have been obvious! Even to me. When I’m wrong I apologize and in this case I am definitely wrong. I therefore offer my apologies to the police for this grave error and hope that they all can forgive me for this. Seriously, that was a screw up.
I don’t expect anyone at all to be in fear of me or kiss up to me. I’m just another resident of NMB with an opinion like anyone else. The fact that I have this website, which actually started as a fluke, is surreal, and the fact that so many people actually read it is astounding to me. I’m dead serious about that. A friend of mine, who I have known since we were about ten years old, read some of my essays over the years, and kept telling me I should write a blog. I literally laughed and told him no one would be interested in what I have to say since I’m just your run of the mill baseball mom who likes to write. In fact, the pieces I wrote before were mostly about my Adventures in Little League (as a long time board member and, finally, three years as the president). I wrote mainly about dealings with crazed parents and coaches who turn into five year old boys the minute they set foot on the diamond. Of course, the names were changed to protect the stupid. I had thought about publishing some of those essays one day in a book, but I’m really not that ambitious, to tell you the truth. Last year when things started heating up at city hall, I started writing long letters to other residents about the shenanigans surrounding Rosner and Baker. My friend started this website for me, and the rest is “history.” I didn’t set out to be a “celebrity” (and seriously, please do NOT think I feel like I am), but I just wanted to write about the goings on in NMB. Things in NMB got more and more insane, and the crazier it got, the more I had to write about. Before I knew it, people were stopping me telling me they loved my blog. Lest you think it’s gone to my head, keep this in mind: I clean my own toilets and wash my own laundry like everyone else. (Strangely enough, I actually LIKE cleaning bathrooms and doing laundry.) I don’t think I’m better than anyone else, and I certainly don’t think my opinion is more valid than anyone else’s either. What I write is just really my own opinion. The fact that I have this website was a gift from a friend. The fact that anyone likes to read what I write is truly amazing and humbly appreciated. I really do mean this sincerely. Anyone who knows me can tell you that I walk around thinking how crazy it is that anyone even cares about what I write since I couldn’t even get my kids to clean up their rooms and the dog won’t even come when I call him. There’s much to be said about being invisible.
No, I do not think I deserve special treatment. I’d be just as happy playing FarmVille all day long. But, I have to tell you, it really was fun helping get rid of Myron and trying to get Phyllis to shut up. If that’s my only “claim to fame” I’m happy to oblige. 🙂
Steph
Okay, that wasn’t nice. Whether you agree with Margie’s opinion, her intentions are good and she has a big heart. She is a very sweet lady and does not deserve to be attacked. If you have any criticism about me or anyone else who posts here, I would appreciate if you try to keep it as civil as possible. Tensions are high enough in NMB at this time. Margie is a private civilian and is not involved in this mess whatsoever. Plus, as someone else pointed out here, she is just as entitled to her opinion as everyone else in NMB. She also deserves to be respected as a human being. Thank you! 🙂
Ah. So Frank reveals himself.
By the way kienzle, can you correct my spelling errors because it seems like its the only thing your consistent with.
No, thanks. I’ll let the readers judge for themselves about your credentials. If you wish to continue to berate me, you may do so elsewhere since I’m canceling your subscription. Try leoaffairs.com. I hear they’ll let anyone in. Your refund check is in the mail.
IF you know so damn much, then you should be the police chief, city manager, and council all at once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“IF you know so damn much, then you should be the police chief, city manager, and council all at once!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Dude, are you serious? Are you talking to me? Unlike some of the cops who think they know everything (mind you, I said “some” not “all”), I never claimed to know half of what needs to be done to fix the city’s problems. I certainly never claimed to know everything. I do, however, take the time to do the research on which my opinions are based. I try not to make mistakes, but I’m human. When I do, I fix them and I apologize if I’m wrong. Attacking me for pointing out facts you don’t like or stating my opinion when it is contrary to yours, is nonproductive.
Apparently, you’re upset. I get that. But is there anyway you can have a reasonable discussion without anger and hostility? If so, do you have any viable suggestions to fix the budget problem? I’d certainly like to hear them.
Yeah move out of the city……
Excuse me as I bypass the circus,
Force cut wouldent bother or affect eastern shores much, as far as I know.. The unincorporated donugte hole has private security patrol forced onto them by ballot..
Many theory’s abound why crime is so high…I think we need to focus on quality of life as discussed previously… being a pass through city for sure contributes…
I dont know honestly.. does any one here want to patrol the neighberhood ? how about demand accountability of your neighbors and their kids ? why do we have LOUD speeding cars at 3am in a residential working class neighborhood ?
Lets start by decreasing the size of NMB high and cut down on the bussed in students.. Does the school make ANY sense ?
Maybe Phyllis can focus on bringing in jobs and commerce and not where she sits ? Maybe if we had high end commercial trade and jobs we wouldent be such a 2bit hole ?
Maybe next time around we should elect peoiple with a background in economics and not franz piere’s promises to work with congresswoman gwen margolis to stave off forclosurs..
Or we ought not to elect in liars as a state rep?
Any ways, Patrick Henry what do you propose ? solely blaming the PD for crime is dumb.. my neighbors was gunned down in a gang hit because he was in a rival gang..
I have no idea what the deal is with the PD or unions or budget etc..but I see no one offering any solutions
The council can’t even bring in new construction….The nice high rise project that was supposed to be built at NE 172 ST and Biscayne Bd. never got off the ground because some of the STP claimed that the buildings would block their view of the sun from Eastern Shores. What makes you think that they want to bring in new business and things which would benefit the city……..
You’re talking about the Marina Grande that was never built. At the time, I was one of the people who were trying to get it constructed. There was definitely a need for development, and on paper that looked like a perfect project. Had it not be halted, it might have turned into a real money maker. However, it could have also turned into NMB’s version of Biscayne Landings, which is one of the biggest development disasters in North Miami’s history. I believe the developer, Boca, of Marina Grande also developed Biscayne Landings, and then ended up in bankruptcy. Maybe Marina Grande’s units would have been sold before the real estate bust if it had been built on schedule, but there’s also a very good chance many of the units would have ended up in bankruptcy like many others in buildings that were constructed during that time. We really can’t say what could have happened – it might have gone either way.
Since then I’ve spoken to several people who were against that project and I was told it was a little bit more involved than what we all believed was only a sore spot for the resident who sued the city. I was told that the units were very small for the prices they were charging and probably would have to sell for much less than promised. Another issue had to do with the legality of using submerged lands for density requirements, and several lawyers I spoke to had issues with that.
In any event, Marina Grande didn’t get off the ground, and for all we know it may have been for the best. However, there were about two or three other projects in the works at the same time that probably should have been built, but for various reasons they were also stalled. I can’t recall why they were never built, but this was around the same time that Myron was on the council and was already causing problems. He eventually became the mayor and everything fell apart after that, not to mention the economy when all development came to a stop everywhere.
I think we should have brought development into NMB years before Marina Grande was even thought of, but the former mayor, Jeff Mishcon wasn’t interested in any development whatsoever. Someone told me he heard Mishcon once say, “If you don’t build it, they won’t come.” In retrospect, it appears that NMB stood frozen in time for the 17 years he was the mayor. There was absolutely no progress whatsoever, which is why this city is so shabby today. Some areas have shown improvement since then, but for the most part the city is crumbling. Now that the city’s finances are in the toilet and very few people are investing in business and commercial real estate, we have a long road ahead if we want to bring this city up to par.
Elchonon… the problem at the moment is political and economical. We have to get past this to calm the nerves all around. This does not mean the PD is not at work. The men & women continue to do their jobs, regardless of the climate. Cleaning up the city’s image is one that is not just the PD’s task. It belongs to the whole community.
“Accountability”, as you mentioned, and more importantly, “Responsibility”, of your neighbors is key. Quality of Life issues begin at home. While the PD makes every effort to remove or displace criminals from our neighborhoods, residents also have to take away anything that makes their community appealing to criminals. Watchful eyes and ears, reporting suspicious activity to the PD is a major help. Unfortunately, many crimes and or activity goes unreported. We routinely look for environmental conditions which make neighborhoods or other city areas attractive to criminals and vandals. Take away the opportunity and you remove the problem.
Business owners can help by keeping their respective structures clean, neat and windows clutter-free. Working security cameras are a deterrent and often help in catching the criminals. Non-working, obsolete equipment may deter, but not when there’s a wire hanging from the camera, or it’s pointing up to the ceiling. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen this!
We certainly need to attract new business, new development and a sense of hospitality that would put NMB back on the map. New business also equates to new jobs and opportunities for residents and working age youth. If they’re kept busy, they’re kept off the street.
Being “pass thru city” as you mentioned, does have a certain appeal to some of the criminals coming in and out from neighboring areas. The proximity to the highways and state roads leading in and out make for a convenient getaway. While I never quite liked the idea of closing off some streets (like in Miami Shores), it does make quick getaways more difficult. This does create a bit of an inconvenience for residents though. It would be up to the residents to decide if they would be willing to do this. Just a thought though.
I’m not reading the comments in order, perhaps I should. I didn’t realize you just might be an officer. Your comments above are right on track.
Lets face the truth. North Miami Beach can NO longet afford a Police Department! Say what you want and do want you want. Time to move on!!
Tax Hike and Patrick Henry,
Did you go by starbucks today ? they are shooting a movie there.. for once this placed actually liked like some nice trendy LA suburb..
The NMB Chamber isnt worth a dime..there is really no one actively bringing in business here.. whether businesses or customers..
How has the police department worked with the community ? I dont recall being invited to any police department events aimed towards say the jewish community?
Which does bring us back to the whole doughnut hole problem..
I have lived in NMB for 17 years, I was in eastern shores very rarely… I used to think that NMB extended from miami gardens to 6th ave to 163rd street to biscayne lol
It does not feel like a unified city, while at least the jewish community see’s NMB as a whole..
I always like the intercoastal mall and 163rd street mall makes no sense to me!! intercoastal has more of a cozy, small town mall.. and 163rd is just too big, empty and pointless.
Economic development would be so so so good!! Develop parts of the canal for river front dining.. the canal is one of our most beautiful areas, it could host 10 trendy restaurants and actually put handford blvd to use.. and give the 19th ave – 163rd street area a much needed lift.
So the PD can negotiate a temporary salary cut perhaps.. ? tie it to a city economic rehabilitation…
I do think the force is too big for the city size, can you explain the city size and high number of crime ? At least in my area every one is law abiding so i’m baffled
Why must folks scream or type in caps ?
Patrick Henry, honest question; does NMB need a force or can it be absorbed by miami dade ?
Elchonon, NMB has always had a police department. By having it’s own, the community has a sense of not just security, but a relationship. I will not get into the rhetoric of talking bad about fellow agencies because it’s just not right. Miami-Dade has many fine officers. Did you know that it is the County’s Sheriffs office? They should be wearing green, but choose to wear brown. In any case, if NMB did away with the police department, the County would have to take over. Services from the MDPD as well as response would slow down, because they will not put in the resources the NMBPD allocates to the community.
NMBPD operates with a set minimum numbers on patrol. This is done to address the average number of calls, residents and officer safety. The MDPD districts don’t adjust their patrol numbers if officers are on vacation or call out sick. I have seen many instances over the years where there were only a couple of MDPD officers working a shift for the entire Intracoastal District. They would have dozens of calls holding for hours on end, because they could only handle one at a time.
Keep in mind that NMBPD, with the exception of having aviation or horses, is a full service agency. Our officers are trained in many areas such as: Swat, Underwater Search and Rescue, Forensic Computer Analysis, Crime Scene, Hostage Negotiations, Crisis Management, Emergency Management, Community Policing, Crime Prevention, and the list goes on. Many of our officers are certified police instructors, having taught other police officers around the country. We’ve been visited by police agencies from around the nation and foreign countries to learn of some of our practices.
So what does all that mean to the residents? Our officers are highly trained in many areas. Many years ago, they would just pin on a badge and issue a gun, then send a rookie officer out on the streets. Today, officers must go through intensive training to get them prepared to hit the streets. The training does not stop, it continues through an officer’s career. Now, while some of the readers have had some negative personal experiences, each case is different. Personalities may at times conflict and an encounter will be less than what may have been expected. These are the exceptions, not the norm.
With all the training and experience our officers possess, does this mean that there should be no crime in NMB? That’s up to the individuals that prey on society. Some of which live within our boundaries and many that traverse through from outside. Remember that crimes are generally committed out of opportunity. If we remove the opportunity, make our homes and businesses more secure, remove temptations, and be vigilant…we can reduce crime in our community. The residents play an integral part in our police department being more effective, by quickly reporting crime and suspicious activity.
Closing the donut holes would definitely be better for the community, particularly those living within it. We are generally in the area anyway, so our response would be much faster than the County.
As for your comment about “not being invited to any events by the Police Department aimed at the Jewish Community,” it is not really appropriate for the PD to create events for the different cultural groups within our community. We are here to serve all equally without singling any one segment out over another. We have an excellent working relationship with the Jewish Community as we do with the many cultural groups within the City of NMB. The City of NMB, has over the years held many cultural events. Maybe you can approach the city administration to host or sanction an event? The PD will gladly work with the organizers to keep the event safe.
Regardless of some of the negative comments that have been made by a few, our officers are committed to the community, work hard and sacrifice for the community they serve. We hope to get past all the drama and political upheaval and stick to what we know and love doing. Protecting this community without sacrificing the services the residents deserve.
Stay safe.
What makes you think Patrick Henry knows the answer to that, or would give you an honest answer? I don’t know you, but perhaps you need to go to some meetings, watch them on the web if you don’t already. Of course the city can be absorbed by the County, the question is what is the trade off if any. I would hope if that were the case or consideration by this manager and council they would do their research and understand full well what the expectations should be from the residents. That would truly be another long and arduous process.