Unless there are any really new developments in the not so breaking story of the North Miami Beach Police Department vs. the city, I won’t be writing more about this situation.  No, I have not backed down because of any, ahem, attempted intimidation by anyone.  If I thought there was an end game to continuing to do battle with anyone, believe me I’m more than capable of going the distance.  But the truth is, this drama is going to play itself out the way it’s supposed to no matter how the individual players behave or what anyone else has to say about it.   I fully expect that at future budget workshops there will continue to be over the top performances by both cops and residents, and I’ve pretty much wrung every last bit of dark humor out of them for this column.  I’d venture to say that everyone knows where everyone else stands and very few people are gonna change their minds.  You all know that I feel the current problem was created by outlandish spending by the previous administration, and is now being exacerbated by the unrealistic demands and bullying behavior of the union.  That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.  Period.

As I never beat dead horses, I’m moving on.  Next!

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I mentioned but didn’t expound on my recent tour of the NMB Police Department.  Sergeant Richard Silberman was gracious enough to invite me for a visit.  I spent over two hours meeting with him and other employees, and I got to see pretty much what goes on inside the building up close and personal.  Sgt. Silberman took me to see all the different areas, including the training room, virtual training room, communications room, studio, property room, interrogation rooms, jail, and all the various offices and facilities.  In all honesty, I didn’t take notes so I can’t remember everything he showed me, but I can tell you it’s a mighty impressive operation.  I got to see the much maligned tank, which was I believe was actually donated by the U.S. Army (correct me, Sgt. Silberman, if I’m wrong about that).  I was literally blown away by the stacks and stacks of fierce looking guns that have been confiscated by the police.  We’re not talking just hand guns here, we’re talking AK-47s and other weapons of mass destruction that thankfully aren’t on the street anymore.  If these arms were collected in North Miami Beach alone, that should give you a pretty gruesome idea of the havoc that gangs and other criminals are capable of wreaking in our city.  I even entered a room of confiscated drugs that positively reeked of marijuana.  I chuckled to myself that I could probably get a contact high if I hung out there long enough.  (Don’t worry – I didn’t.)  The guns and drugs stored there are pieces of evidence for upcoming trials, and will eventually be destroyed.  I also met with Detective Denise Love of Criminal Investigations, who is currently working on breaking up a criminal gang that has come up with the idea of filing fraudulent tax returns on behalf of unsuspecting victims, by obtaining their social security numbers through inside contacts who work in local hospitals.  Gangs are no longer content with dealing drugs or petty theft, when a scheme like this rakes in hundreds of thousands of dollars – possibly millions!  Det. Love’s division is working closely with the FBI to crack this one.  I don’t know about you, but I’m stunned that criminals have even come up with this brilliantly devious scheme.  Seriously, what WILL they think of next?

My short tour of the NMB Police Department was definitely educational.  If any of you haven’t taken the time to visit this facility, I urge you to do so.  It’s definitely worth the trip.  No one is denying that we don’t have an awesome PD.  At least I’m not.

I don’t know, nor would I pretend to know where budget cuts could be made there.  My guess is that the real problem has to do more with the pensions, which are unsustainable, than any other area.  But, again, I am no expert.  It is certainly my hope that both the city manager and the police department come together to figure out how to best deal with this situation in a way that is in the best interest of both the residents and the employees.  I really do pray this is over soon!

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Now, on a lighter note, let’s have some fun.  I am now accepting nominations for the First Annual Voters Opinion North Miami Beach Steffi Awards.  The virtual ceremony for this prestigious event will take place shortly after Labor Day at the official start of awards season.  Please submit your nominations to me by email at stephanie.kienzle@gmail.com.

Feel free to nominate yourself or your best friend or your worst enemy.  Elected officials, past and present, are also eligible.  You can also nominate inanimate objects, but please do not submit your personal battery operated gadgets for consideration.  I do not want to know about that.

Feel free to suggest categories, too!  There are no rules (except the ones I make up as I go along), so get as creative as you like.  Some of the categories suggested so far are:

1.  Most Notorious Bloviator Award
2.  Random Use of Made Up Words Award
3.  Nastiest Name Calling on a Public Forum Award
4.  Mad Max Award
5.  Liming at the Nankin Award
6.  Best Use of Street Furniture Award
7.  Most Incoherent Comment Award

Well, you get the picture.  These awards are totally irreverent and irrelevant.  Just make sure your nominations have to do with life in NMB and the wildlife that inhabits our city.  I look forward to your submissions.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”