North Miami’s newest Assistant Police Chief Neal Cuevas is a 42 year veteran of the NMPD.  He joined the department as a police officer in 1975 at a time when the city had very little diversity, and its police department had none.  In fact, Officer Cuevas was the first Hispanic ever hired by the NMPD, and his all-white colleagues never let him forget that he didn’t belong.

Despite that hostile environment, or perhaps because of it, Officer Cuevas was determined to prove himself worthy of wearing the badge.  Not only did he exceed all expectations, but he certainly raised the bar.

While his humble goal was to simply represent the very best that the law enforcement profession had to offer, Cuevas unwittingly became the standard bearer for the hundreds of minority police officers who have joined the North Miami Police Department in the years since he came on board.  He went on to make history as the first Hispanic Sergeant, Lieutenant, Major and now Assistant Police Chief.

While Cuevas was blazing a path for future classes of aspiring officers, he also concentrated on honing his own skills in law enforcement.  He was determined to continuously grow professionally and gain as much knowledge as humanly possible.  No matter how many advancements he made, he never once rested on his laurels.  Every goal he achieved was but a stepping stone to the next level of excellence.

During the course of his 42 year career at the North Miami Police Department, Neal Cuevas earned over 100 certifications for training in various fields of law enforcement, 35 commendations for professionalism, outstanding service and leadership, 20 commendations for outstanding assistance and 9 commendations for appreciation and participation.  He received his Associate Degree in Criminology at Miami-Dade College, a Command Officers Development Degree at the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville, and a Physical Fitness Specialist Degree at the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas, Texas.  Cuevas is also a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Florida Executive Development in Sarasota, Florida in 2012.

From 1979 to 1980, Officer Neal Cuevas became a Narcotics Detective, and was charged with investigating local, state and national drug rings.  He received a nomination for Officer of the Month for work performed posing as a Columbian dope dealer, commendation and recognition from North Miami Police Department; and a commendation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration.

From 1992 to 2012, Officer Cuevas was the SWAT Team Leader/Assistant Commander, during which time he planned and participated in over 180 high risk missions.

After being promoted to Sergeant, from 1993 to 2003 Cuevas supervised the Human Resource/Career Development Unit, which involved the recruitment and training of new hires.  He was also the supervisor of the Uniform Patrol Section.

From 2003 to 2010, Lieutenant Cuevas took charge of the Community Services Sections, including Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Unit, School Resource Officers (SRO), Police Athletic League (PAL), Traffic and Marine Patrol, among others.  He also continued supervising the Uniform Patrol Section.

In 2010, Cuevas was promoted to Major and assumed responsibility for the Administrative Sections, including Quartermaster, Information Technology, Records, Fleet, Emergency Management System and Public Records Requests.

During the course of his tenure with the North Miami Police Department, Assistant Chief Cuevas also served as the North Miami Police Union Representative from 1986 to 1995, and is currently the Chair of the General Employees’ Pension Trust, a position he has held since 2004.  From 2007 to 2015, Cuevas also served as the department’s Emergency Operations Manager.

But Assistant Chief Cuevas’ most memorable and recognizable position was, of course, his representation of the North Miami Police Department as its Public Information Officer from 1992 until 2015.

As a highly respected and greatly admired media relations expert, Neal Cuevas was the literal face of North Miami.  His keen understanding of the dissemination of information, as well as his media expertise and professionalism, earned him local, national and international accolades from reporters whose trust he rightfully earned by his deep respect for their jobs.  In turn, Cuevas earned their respect and admiration with his honesty, keen knowledge of the issues, and forthrightness with the press.  To this day his presence is sorely missed by members of the media.

By far, however, Assistant Chief Cuevas’ greatest achievement is an honor that no other officer in the North Miami Police Department has ever earned, and is also one that is far superior to any other award, certificate or commendation.  Neal Cuevas is the city’s only recipient of the North Miami Police Department’s highest award, the Medal of Honor.

That award alone speaks volumes!

And yet, with all of his incredible achievements, awards and accolades, with all of the honors and respect he has rightfully earned, Assistant Chief Neal Cuevas remains a humble man.  He quietly goes about his business, avoiding drama and never drawing attention to himself.

His door is always open to anyone who needs assistance or help solving a problem.  He generously donates his time and resources to many causes within the community.  Neal Cuevas’ greatest satisfaction is to be of service to others.  He could not have chosen a more perfect profession for himself.  Neal Cuevas is a living, breathing example of what being a law enforcement officer truly means.

Even more remarkably, and despite intense pressure by his peers over the course of more than four decades as a police officer for North Miami, Neal Cuevas has always taken the high road.  He has never bent the rules or even for one moment contemplated doing so.  If anyone is the personification of integrity and honor, it is Assistant Chief Neal Cuevas.

Neal Cuevas has dedicated his entire life and career to the City of North Miami and its Police Department.  Not only is he the most senior member, by at least a decade, of the NMPD, but he is the most senior employee in the history of the entire city.

As Assistant Chief, Neal Cuevas also has the distinction to honorably represent North Miami’s growing Hispanic community.  He also happens to be highly respected by and has a strong kinship with the city’s sizable Haitian community.  Because of his own determination and commitment to overcome racial obstacles, he was able to shatter the formerly unbreakable all-white barrier that had been in place since the city’s inception.  Cuevas’ pioneer spirit and dogged determination led the diversity charge for generations to come.

Little wonder that City Manager Larry Spring, the Mayor, and Council members all hailed Chief Gary Eugene’s decision to appoint Neal Cuevas as his Assistant Chief of the North Miami Police Department.  North Miami residents should be incredibly proud of their police department’s newest and most valuable asset.

Please join me in congratulating Assistant Chief Neal Cuevas on his long overdue and much deserved promotion.

Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”