| | | | | | | | | TO: | Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee Members
|
|
| FROM:
| Alina T. Hudak, City Manager |
|
| | DATE: | February 25, 2022
|
|
| | SUBJECT: | DISCUSSION ON THE MIAMI BEACH COMMISSION FOR WOMAN'S MOTION SUPPORTING ALLOCATING MORE FUNDING FOR THE CITY'S MARINE PATROL UNIT |
|
| | | | | | | | HISTORY:
| The following motion was unanimously passed at the Miami Beach Commission for Women’s November 4, 2021 meeting and subsequently placed on the December 08, 2021 City Commission Meeting as a referral to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC) by Commissioner Samuelian:
Currently, the Martine Patrol Unit has only one supervisor and five officers assigned to operate five boat, in shifts from 1 0:00am to 11 :00pm, seven days a week. There is one officer assigned to Monument Island, which the Marine Patrol Unit has suggested should be closed to the public.
According to the Marine Patrol Unit, the use of jet skis and charter boats, both legal and illegal, is unprecedented at this time.
Miami Beach's Commission for Women is therefore requesting more funding in the way of expanded hours, and additional personnel and resources for the City of Miami Beach's Marine Patrol Unit. |
| | |
| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS:
| The Miami Beach Police Department’s (MBPD) Martine Patrol Unit is composed of one supervisor and five officers who are assigned to each operate one of five boats (some of which are older and aging quickly), in shifts from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week. Over the next few years, the goal of the Department would be to staff the unit with 10 officers which would allow two officers per boat to be on duty during peak hours when the City experiences the highest volume of vessel traffic.
Marine Patrol officers throughout southeast Florida have increasingly reported experiencing aggressive and sometimes violent behavior toward officers by vessel operators. With one officer assigned to a boat, this has become a safety hazard. Additionally, the procurement and installation of a large mooring field containing approximately 200 vessel spaces is being considered and legislated which, if implemented, will require additional marine police resources for enforcement.
It is also important to highlight that only one officer is currently assigned to Monument Island which. Due to an unprecedented increase use of both legal and illegal personal watercrafts, the City want to take into consideration closing the island off to the public and establishing a potential 100-yard buffer around the island to be designated as a non-motorized zone. |
| | |
| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
| | MBPD will begin looking into expanding the Marine Patrol Unit once the current open and department-wide staffing vacancies are filled. Once staffed, the Department will be better able to gauge if a budget augmentation is necessary to allow three police officers to be added to this unit initially followed by an additional two officers. Furthermore, over the course of the next few fiscal years, any available funds could be used advantageously to update the MBPD vessel fleet due to the rapid aging of boats brought on by South Florida’s extreme environment. |
| | |
| | | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | | No | | No | |
| | |
| | | | | | | | Strategic Connection
| | Neighborhoods - Prevent and solve crime for residents and visitors. |
| | |
|