Even though there are no police layoffs, Miami-Dade Police are short more than 250 officers. That may be why three dozen lieutenants, sergeants and 
detectives are being moved from specialized units to street patrol.
Most are from the narcotics and economic crimes units.
But there is a trickle down cost to the change: There will be fewer cases followed up on in the specialized units that lose detectives. That means fewer mortgage fraud cases, identity theft investigations and undercover drug stings. That could mean more gang activity.
Ladra hears that requests for warrants are down because of this domino effect.
In an anonymous email sent to all the Miami-Dade Commissioners Thursday, someone who is obviously an insider at the county police department, asks some tough questions about what the transfers say about this administration’s priorities. The writer also raises concerns about the way the transfers were made and the people who were, he or she says, targeted.
The email comes a day after PBA President John Rivera sent a letter to Commission Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa accusing Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos “Cry Wolf” Gimenez of lying and being retaliatory with the layoff notices sent to three civilian police staffers who happen to be members of the bargaining unit.
This email is unsigned and the writer probably prefers the cloak of anonymity because of fear of retaliation. It is obvious that it was written by someone in the know within the department, so without further ado, Ladra presents his or her email in its original entirety:
Dear Commissioners,
I don’t know if you have been made aware of this but the Miami Dade Police Department just cut their narcotics unit in half. Miami Dade is one of the busiest areas in the country when it comes to drugs and drug related crimes. We lead the nation in indoor grown marijuana and we are one of the top three entry points for drugs into this country. We are the third largest department in the country, the largest in Florida and a major hub for drugs coming into this country. And they want to reduce the unit? Why are we getting rid of half of the unit when we should be adding to it? Layoffs have been cancelled and we have new officers.
Three middle school kids were recently arrested for bringing guns to school. As anyone wondered why they brought guns to school? Or what would have happened if they started shooting? How many innocent little kids would have been killed? You can be sure that those
kids were involved in gangs and drugs. Can you imagine the outrage your constituents would feel if those kids began shooting inside a middle school and they found out that the drug unit was cut in half? Are you prepared to read about things like that more often and are you comfortable explaining to the public how an elected official supported cutting the drug unit in one of the busiest areas in the country? Do you think they will understand that their child was murdered because the only way to save money was cutting the drug unit in half? A majority of the cries committed ere can be traced back to drugs. Whether it’s the crack addict breaking into a house, gangs fighting for drug turf or drive-by shootings, they all have drugs in common.
Miami Dade County is the busiest area for indoor grown marijuana in the country. They handle around 300 grow houses each year in addition to their investigations. The houses are located in populated areas, contain dangerous chemicals, kids and have been known to explode. They have even been found underneath houses. Cutting the unit half will cause the number of these houses to explode.
If you are going to cut a unit in half, do you think it is wise to transfer your most senior and experienced people? Do you know what criteria were used?
It looks like whoever made these decisions use the friends and family plan. If you were a male and Hispanic or a young Hispanic female, you had a good chance to stay in the unit.
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Email to Miami-Dade Commission questions police transfers added by Ladra on
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Ten months ago, the bureau was tasked with the reorganizing the bureau. The major held a roll call and told people “if you haven’t been brining it, don’t be surprised if your name is on the list.” Folks it can’t be anymore clearer than that. Not everyone been transferred however fell into that category. Unfortunately, when you have to cut a bureau by 30% you are going to lose some of the really good detectives and supervisors too. As for the “young TNT girls” while they always made themselves available to help with undercover work, they were also the first to go through the door. Where were the others? They weren’t around. When the sergeant is the one bringing the cases to the squad, there is a problem. Forget about evaluations, they are useless. “Let’s get to work.”
If the Sergeant is bringing the cases and his officers aren’t but still getting good evaluations, then the Sergeant needs to go.
The TNT Girls may be hard workers but if they don’t have any experience, how do you keep them over experienced officers? If you haven’t been bringing it, then you shouldn’t be there. The problem is supervisors don’t want to be the bad guy, they want to be everyone’s friend
Mr or ms anonymous.do you know that sgt .Rodriguez,the best out there and a good friend of the captain has been kick out? You are talking so much lie and garbage about captain .you should be ashamed of yourself! I am not kissing his ass ,I am going to be happy mo matter what,but it hurts when you lie .come on bro or sist. There are many ways to make it and serve
Mr or ms anonymous .you are right that constituents and tourists will pay for this. The good citizens will Pay for the destruction of TNT. Big mistake. My opinion criminals will start organizing and will take over the county. If they dont have nobody to stop them anymore, criminals will definitely organize. Very sad for the good citizen, but to blame the captain , you are completely wrong And I think you are racist yourself.ihurt me when lie about the captain. He loves me very much,I produce like nobody. And guess what I am going back yo the road . Yes I cried . I loved TNT .I will give my best no matter what to my country ,but mr or ms anonymous. ,dont lie anymore
It is our understanding that the “senior” officers, whom have given most of their lives to the department and then again, have the most experience in the field, are going to be displaced and sent back to be regular patrol police officers and the new ones, that had someone that knew them in the Department, were left there.
Two things that concern us: First of all, the Narcotics Department is going to be run by rookies, unexperienced, in a city like Miami? That sounds like a joke!!! And secondly, these “senior” officers with all the experience in the field, are going to go back to patrol the streets? That sounds like another joke and disrespect towards these officers that have given their lives and hard work to this department for so many years!
We urge you to please do a little investigation and make sure these officers get the treatment they deserve, do not allow the department to commit this injustice!
Yep that sounds like it. They weeded through and left the workers and dumped the slugs. The slugs with the hook ups get the cushy jobs like the airport. The slugs with no hook up get to ride a green n’ white and handle calls like the rest of us. Welcome back to reality.
Doris the contract doesn’t promise you a cushy job. Just a job. So get to the back of the line for the next nice job and let those that were already waiting to go places get their fair chance.
For what you portray, you are a FRUSTRATED want-a-be cop that never made it due to your incredible disrespect, ignorance and feelings towards others! It is people like you that we do NOT need in this world!!!!
Frustrated? Nope. Just someone that KNOWS what it’s like to pay their dues and work for what they have. 2 wrongs don’t make a right. Just because someone gets thrown out of one unit doesn’t give them bumping rights sonehwere else. That’s just wrong!!!!!!!
Go to the road and work your way back somewhere.
Do not despair in explaining it to the younger crowd Doris. No offense, we were young and new in this department once, the difference is in the old days you took your bumps and bit your tongue and waited for a chance to go to GIU to prove yourself. If you worked hard and excelled there then after several interviews you would eventually be given an opportunity to show your skills in Robbery, Homicide, etc. Specialized units like OCB, Marine Patrol, Aviation, etc., were extremely difficult to enter and you had to be accepted by squad members as well as supervisors to remain there. If you slacked you were back on the road in a minute’s notice. These days, you get young officers with two years on going to RID, TNT and all these new units and they feel a sense of entitlement that we did not feel in our time. Bottom line is, you hone your skills with experience, time and training. We all make mistakes but we move forward in our careers trying to learn the job. For some smart alecks that is too much work and bucking the system or getting to a specialized unit by “knowing somebody” is the way to go. You also have the “blue flames” sergeant with three years on who spends his time studying on duty just so he/she can get promoted to tell the workers what to do. Everything he knows he has read in the SOPs, problem is he has never experienced it and he llacks the mechanical skill involved in getting it done. This administration is chaotic to say the least. Neither Patterson nor Perez have paid their dues as investigators and the damage they are doing to the department is atrocious. Word of advice to our coworkers, do your jobs with dignity regardless of place of assignment, enjoy your days in that brown gown because regardless what anybody says is an honor to wear it, allow the slugs to do their deeds without due care because they will fall by the wayside and finish your career in an honorable fashion knowing that you gave it all regardless of circumstance. Stay safe and God bless.
You are a very smart person, Juan Santana and your words mean a LOT! Thank you.
Really!?! lol
Well, well, well Mr. or Ms. Anonymous Letter Writer,
You must be of a certain orientation and must have been affected by the transfers. We can agree with what you write about how cutting the drug unit and trasnfers will hurt the investigations. That’s where it stops!
Why didn’t you write that most of those being transferred are losers? You know those outstanding or above satisfactory evaluations don’t mean squat.
Why don’t you complain about all the african americans that have been transferred to the airport without ever even interviewing? I’ve interviewed several times and have been waiting to go there for a few years now. There are 3 or 4 of the narcotics rejects that just went there. I hear one of them is a senior and experienced “paper weight.”
I’ll wager there are more african americans in the airport (% compared to white or hispanic) than any place else in miami dade pd. Why don’t you complain about that? It’s probably the same for supervisors.
Why don’t you complain that they all go there because they are buddies with the chief over the airport? And no interview necessary. And a bunch are junior officers that have little experience.
You want to talk about friends and family? Look into that. You were finally hurt by what your “people” have been doing since Patterson took over. A little taste of your own medicine. Tastes like shit don’t it?
Commissioners please look at that too if you look at narcotics problem.
Oder he/she: You should not talk if you don’t know what you are talking about. What you are saying is COMPLETELY wrong! None of those officers are losers! They are the BEST that Miami-Dade county has and what they are doing is a complete disrespect for them!!!!!!!!!!!
Sounds like both of you have the same complaint. the difference is he or she did something about it. Have you sent something to the commissioners?
PLEASE, don’t compare me to a person that calls our heroes losers! I would NEVER use those words or think that way. To me, he IS a loser, not them (the seniors officers). Thank you!
I wasn’t comparing him to you. I was saying that his complaint was like the article. they are both complaining about how transfers are done
Sorry Teresita but the Committee that handles police and fire is headed by Commissioner Esteban Bovo and investigating absentee ballot fraud and that sort of thing is not healthy for him. Make no mistake, the MDPD director reminds me more of Rochester, the old sidekick to Jack Benny, than a real cop. His deputy director is only interested in becoming director and will bury any complaint that comes from the ranks.
Not as long as he feels like an emperor (the one without cloth). He hates the world and as far as friends and family, the fact is the family is doing well as consultants and builders, and friends are only the ones he sees as such, but lets not forget he is myopic and can’t see the trees for the forest. Why is the director of the police department doing this, these are his people and he should stand up for them, or he should retire (he has the time). Good experienced police should not be treated this way, someone should take the lead in the commission and call Gimenez out. Perhaps the chair of the committee that handles police and fire. Or perhaps the director will remember were he came from and stand up and defend his people!!!!
I agree with you 100% Teresita!
Gimenez, after almost getting nabbed for absentee fraud dismantled the corruption unit. Although never a cop, he now seems to know that this community if free of narcotics, economic crimes-such as identity theft. Even though the Feds recently made 23 gang related arrests, Gimenez feels there is no gang problem and did away with that. let us not forget that Gimenez did away with the Auto theft task force so no more stealing of cars in Miami-Dade. And, of course while congress is making a big deal of human trafficking and child exploitation, Gimenez sees no concern and did away with most of the unit-only one detective for this tiny county. Gimenez probably believes that all the media hype about crime is just that and there is no crime in Miami-Dade. The 15 shot and the countless lives lost to gunfire is just an illusion. Let us all hail the great and powerful Carlos Gimenez for his extraordinary powers to know that all is good and there is no need for a police department any longer.
You are SO correct, Dean!!!!!!!!!
Ladra have you been able to figure this one out? Any hypothetical suggestions? It reminds me of District 26, where so called prominent politicians, i.e., Ros Lehtinen, the Balarts, Jeb and Romney endorsed Curbelo the candidate least qualified to become a Congressman and one who is corrupt and dishonest (Capital Gains).