Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez is all about the optics.
Under fire on an election year for letting the police department get dangerously understaffed, Gimenez will attend a ceremony Thursday for the “largest graduating class” of police officers.
But like a lot of other things the mayor does, it’s not entirely true and mostly for show.
Of the 95 officers who will ‘graduate’ Thursday, 35 still have course work and exams to to take before they can be officially hired. They will be in class through Feb. 17, according to the police department’s training unit — and may even not graduate if they don’t pass all the criteria.
Rank and file cops say the mayor is creating the photo op so that he can look like he is doing something about the police department’s shortage of officers. There are actually three separate classes — BLE 112 (35 trainees), CTA 1 (20 trainees) and Lateral 1 (40 trainees) — that have never been lumped together for a ceremony before being presented as the “largest graduating class.”
“The statement is false and is without question a purely political falsehood perpetrated by Mayor Carlos Gimenez as an attempt to improve his image on public safety. It’s a masquerade,” said Dade County PBA President John Rivera.
There are in fact three separate classes: BLE 112 (35 trainees), CTA 1 (20 trainees) and Lateral 1 (40 trainees). This is the first time, he added, they have been lumped together for a “graduation.”
And just how does 95 officers address the shortage anyway? PBA vice president Pablo Lima told Ladra that there are 137 officers scheduled to retire in May through the county’s Deferred Retirement Option Plan and that the department is losing five to 10 officers a month through attrition (they go to other departments that are not being dismantled by their electeds).
“Public safety has never been a priority to Carlos Gimenez,” Rivera said. “During his time in office he has severely depleted manpower, slashed departmental resources and cut important community programs.
“Enough with the smoke and mirrors. It’s outrageous that the Mayor is once again trying to mislead the public when it comes to safety. We have been saying that more officers are needed and now he is trying to woo the public with a false sense of security by having the public believe that we are making up the existing officer deficiency. We are not.”
It’s all about the optics, John.
All about the optics: Cops ‘graduating’ class is just for show added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →
Dear Silenced Citizen and any other that does not know or have heard of the swept POAT incidents. Call the SAO, OIG, Ethics Commission, or MIami Dade Police IA sections and request a copy it public records, ask why this has not been looked at or addressed. Even the Miami Herald was furnished a copy so it’s no secret but like investigative puppet reporter Defede wishes not to bring any issues forward that involve his great friend and police director Loftus and his buddies. Like some others who too want to keep these facts and incidents wrapped up and tightly covered up. Let’s look at city of Miami commissioner Hardemons famous niece arrest who was arrested as a county employee but later released after this newly appointment Gimenez puppet director back then deputy director was contacted about the circumstances. If you or anyone thinks this MDPD structure is free of political or outside corruption we surely are living a huge lie and will continue to be lied and bamboozled. The words “And Justice For All” at MDPD means nothing and will continue to mean nothing but it opposite “Injustice For All” except a certain few.
I already disclosed that I, Elaine, was on Team Raquel and it is quite obvious that I am partial to her anyway… I was before I joined the campaign. I am not going to say it in every story because it kills the flow. (By the way, if Marco Rubio’s people want to give me a call, I have some good ideas for his outreach as well).
But, here’s the important thing, they can’t control Ladra. Instead of people being worried about some perceived conflict of interest that doesn’t exist, people should realize that if Raquel is okay with Ladra being Ladra, she really is transparent and honest. She wouldn’t tolerate me if she wasn’t. She’s okay with me being me and dishing it out to anyone, come what may. That’s another reason to like her.
You rail without giving any specifics and it sounds like a smear campaign to me. Maybe something personal. Please refrain from using my space to smear anyone anonymously without any context or substance. And you’re going to tell me you prefer Gimenez? Because she can do better.
We used to be on the same side, Point. Que paso? Do you really think that my ethics are going to change because I get a measly check for a few months?
Additionally, I will get to Crony Captain Perez in due time. I am still talking to people. Ladra likes to be thorough.
Still your watchdog, Ladra
Woof!
Ladra,
I can’t stand Gimenez, but Regalado is no better. PLEASE POST ON YOUR BANNER THAT YOU ARE BIAS, PAID, AND A POLITICAL SUPPORTER OF RAQUELITA REGALDO SIMILAR TO THIS PIECE OF SHIT OF A POLICE DIRECTOR, JUAN PEREZ, IS A SUPPORTER OF CARLOS GIMENEZ.
I SEE NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JUAN PEREZ AND YOU. YOU SHOULD CONSIDER ROMANTICALLY GETTING INVOLVE WITH HIM YOU ALREADY HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON.
DO YOU SEE MY POINT!
How much $$$ raquelita te paga orale homes?
Nada güey, not even a dollar for a pinche tortilla, it is all pro bono.
JEJEJEJE I’ll beleive that when I see it homey. Everybody knows this chihuahua gotta eat and she like chimis and refried beans dude!
I think he thought you were talking to him.
And it is so funny how much you Gimenez campaign trolls sound like the Robaina people in 2011.
Nothing I say on this blog is paid for. And nothing I am paid for my professional services changes a damn thing about this mayor’s pulling the wool over people’s eyes
In fact, the fact that this is all you can come back with proves my point.
Love, Ladra
Somehow or another the topic of the “graduating class” is grabbing all the headlines today however the true scary fact is the MDPD is getting a sock puppet for a director. Has any member of the media bothered to ask the tough questions to new director Juan Perez? For example, is anyone aware that this back climber was involved in a huge scandal regarding the Police Officer’s Trust Fund where thousands of dollars in overtime monies were pilfered by Perez’s close associates? Has anyone asked Perez what has happened to the numerous complaints of corruption within the department that mysteriosly “disappeared” at the internal affairs bureau? And last but not least, are we to believe that Perez, an individual with little formal education and little knowledge of investigations and police procedures is worthy of a promotion to director? Of course not but our citizens will never know because noone will never ask Perez how many political fundraisers he organized or attended for Gimenez in 2012. Noone will ask him how much fundraising he did for Gimenez while on duty nor how he saw to it that police officers did not oppose Gimenez by working in Joe Martinez’s campaign out of fear of losing their jobs. And of course, no media representative will ever put the dots together and connect Perez as the responsible party who obstructed MDPD’s absentee ballot in 2012 and let Gimenez off the hook.
Well orchestrated Juan, no matter how many stars they pin on that tight shirt of yours, they will never cover the stench of corruption that oozes out of you. You sold every honest officer and placed this community in dire straits in the hands of a great corruptor for the sake of a promotion. Enjoy the day Juan. Years from now when you balance your life you will realize giving up your honor and dignity was not worth it.
I don’t know about the POAT allegations. As far as I know the Board of directors votes on expenditures. I’ve never heard anything about missing complaints either. It is however common knowledge that Perez campaigned for the Mayor when the PBA and just about every Officer were against him. This appointment comes as no surprise even though Perez has done a good job of keeping their relationship on the down-low from the general public. The real problem is that the current atmosphere within the MDPD does not foster leadership, it fosters the ‘buddy system’ and no one from within is going to change it. The new leadership must come from the outside as happened with Purdy. But of course this Mayor is incapable of appointing someone from the outside who is also outside the ‘buddy system’.
“Toto” has moved the curtain, exposing a callous old man desperately moving the levels of political deceit to remain Miami Dade mayor. On August 30, 2016, voters must say No and vote him out of office!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWyCCJ6B2WE