Commissioner Samuelian placed a referral to the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee (NQLC) on the October 30, 2019 City Commission Meeting agenda to provide a status update on the TOPS Off-Duty Police program.

The item was subsequently heard at multiple meetings since, deferring only due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The last update was provided at the October 29, 2021 NQLC meeting.

The TOPS Program was originally created as a 12-week pilot in 2018 to reduce crime and increase uniform visibility on weekend evenings on Ocean Drive. Its success led to a more permanent program through which businesses in the Art Deco Cultural District (ADCD) can access Off-Duty police personnel to further deter crime and bolster the area's safety.

The City secured TOPS funding to pay for a supervisor to oversee the Off-Duty officers for a minimum of three establishments. While the businesses in the ADCD did not contribute to the program’s funding, pre-pandemic communication with the Ocean Drive Association confirmed that there is commitment to the program and a willingness to participate.

Following discussions regarding alcohol hours and their impact on quality-of-life issues on Ocean Drive, TOPS program funding was temporarily reallocated to address these issues in the area. Since the last program update, the Department has settled upon new Off-Duty employment rates, and with the change the Department feels that it is in a stronger position to fill requests for Off-Duty employment at venues along Ocean Drive. The MBPD currently anticipates restarting the program at some point after the Spring Break period. As Off-Duty opportunities increase and are filled, a portion of the TOPS funding is slated to utilized to compensate an overtime supervisor position to monitor Off-Duty officers working at establishments who obtain Off-Duty employment.