Commissioner Diaz's call for more police officers gets Commission backing

(MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FL) – The Miami-Dade County Commission today backed a resolution sponsored by Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz calling for an increase in the number of police officers at the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD).

MDPD has experienced a 10 percent decline in the number of officer positions since 2000. It currently has about 2.4 officers per 1,000 residents in the unincorporated areas it serves, which is below the national average of 2.7 officers per 1,000 residents and below the South Atlantic regional average of 3.1 officers per 1,000. In order to catch up to the national average, MDPD would have to hire an additional 600 to 800 officers.

The resolution directs the mayor’s administration to prepare a report recommending ways to increase the police force and examine the impacts of the reduction in service levels over the last several years.

“Public safety depends on our willingness to adequately staff our police department,” Commissioner Diaz said. “We need to stop shrinking the department and start growing it to keep up with our population.”

MDPD currently has 2,611 sworn personnel, including officers serving PortMiami, Miami International Airport, and the municipalities of Palmetto Bay, Miami Lakes and Cutler Bay, which contract for police services with MDPD.