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MIAMI LODGE

F R A T E R N A L thO R D E R O F P O L I C E
710 Southwest 12 Avenue. Miami, Florida 33130
Phone (305) 854-5019
Ortiz@fopmiami.com

Javier Ortiz

Thomas Reyes

PRESIDENT

SECRETARY

July 21, 2015


Miami FOP Lodge# 20 The Facts About Miami Police Hiring

Dear FOP Members,


As you are aware, the City Manager does not believe that we should be compensated in comparison to
neighboring police agencies. While the City toots over a $23 million dollar surplus this year, the City
Manager will state his company line that the money is only a one time savings. This one time savings
doesnt include the $10 million dollars given to commissioners to spend at their discretion or the $9
million dollars transferred into capital. This also doesnt include the $3 million dollars the Miami Police
Department is sitting on. This also doesnt include the increase in tax revenues for the coming year. With
$42 million in extra money this year alone, who can say with a straight face that they cant restore our
benefits?
Fortunately, the Citys shade meetings have more leaks than the Miami-Dade sewer system. Management
has told our elected officials that our pay is comparable to Miami-Dade Police. Since we know that is far
from the truth, I put together a comparison sheet which is attached to this memorandum. I will ensure that
this chart reaches our elected officials so they arent misled. Just for a quick comparison, a Miami Police
Officer makes 14% less than a Miami-Dade Police Officer (MDPD provides 4% increase for FDLE
certificate & contributes ZERO to pension, while we give 10%). With their pay table, not contributing to
pension and additional pays, the average Miami- Dade police officer makes $10 an hour more.
So what about hiring? How come we cant hire? After the City Commission directed the City Manager to
hire an additional 80 police officers, what has been done? Now that they know the community is coming
for them, who will they blame? Will management blame the Miami Police Department? Sure! The excuse
to blame the U.S. Department of Justice wont work anymore. Could the lack of hiring be due to that we
make less than we did in 2010? Could it be due to the fact that the MPD is competing for the same
applicants as neighboring law enforcement agencies that pay more? It sure is. Ive only been saying it
for four years. But, to further bolster my claim, I spent ten hours at the physical agility test for Miami
Police applicants this past Saturday. I took a sample of that population and this is what we learned:

Out of 35 applicants, 28 of them are currently in the process with Miami-Dade Police.
Out of 35 applicants, 9 of them have applied at the MPD before and were disqualified.
Out of 35 applicants, 13 of them reside in the City of Miami.
Out of 35 applicants, 8 are in the process with Broward agencies.
Out of 35 applicants, 26 know Miami Police Officers. Out of 26, only 6 of them were encouraged
by MPD cops to apply when we had openings.

Research shows that the best way to attract qualified applicants is by candidates that are referred by active
police officers. But, what Miami Police Officer could do that when we are not valued? So how is the
Manager planning to save the MPD and continue to hoard money instead of coming up with a long term
solution? Part time police officers!
Thats right folks. Thats the Holy Grail in saving the MPD. The Manager will attempt to force part time
hires with no benefits, no rights and no pay increases. We can then be in competition with the Sweetwater
Police Department. Then the Manager can say that we are fully staffed. Im sure a retired police officer is
going to risk it all after putting in thirty years and chase the bad guys. Its more like theyll be parked
under a tree while they laugh at our rampant crime. Maybe he should just order a bunch of mannequins
and we can start another police decoy program. There is nothing the Miami Police Department can do
internally. After observing the hiring process (which is extremely organized), they cannot do more.
Seeing that the NYPD is the largest professional police agency in the country, I reached out to them and
was told there process is at least two years from time of application to being hired. We do it in a lot less
time. The amount of pressure on the MPD to hire will only lead to another river cop scandal. Part time
officers will need to go through the same strict guidelines so nothing in terms of speed of hiring will
change. Retired Miami Police Officers will not be able to receive their FIPO retirements and there are
huge tax implications for the City. Its just another half thought out approach to silence our stakeholders
in the community.
With the Miami-Dade Police Department having 400 retirements of sworn members this month, they have
plenty of vacancies to fill. With 28 out of 35 Miami Police applicants applying to the MDPD, its a no
brainer where they will choose to go for when the county pays about $10 more an hour. It wont be us.
Mind you, we arent even comparing ourselves to other departments like Miami Beach.
Its way overdue to restore our pay and benefits. Please stay tuned for more updates.
#BACKEACHOTHERUP
Fraternally,

Lt. Javier Ortiz


Lieutenant Javier Ortiz, President
The Manager Is Pushing For Mannequins To A Street Corner Near You

A Proud Tradition in Law Enforcement

STARTING PAY
YEAR 2
YEAR 3
YEAR 4

50,852 (WITH CRIME PAY) - before 10% pension cut


50,852 (WITH CRIME PAY) - before 10% pension cut
50,852 (WITH CRIME PAY) - before 10% pension cut
53244 (WITH CRIME PAY) - before 10% pension cut

50,490.96 (4% FDLE INCREASE, 5% FIRST RESPONDER & $3,250 HAZARD PAY)
52,734.42
55,095.50
57,660.00 a $4 an hour difference not including incentive pays

FIGURES ABOVE ONLY SHOW BASE PAY FOR PATROL OFFICERS


INCENTIVE PAYS
SHIFT DIFFERENTIAL
EDUCATION INCENTIVE
FTO
SWAT
MARINE PATROL
MOTORS PAY
BOMB UNIT
AVIATION
COMPLAINT OFC/SGT
FDLE CERTIFICATE
FIRST RESPONDER
ACTING HIGHER RANK
PENSION CONTRIBUTION

MIAMI
45 CENTS (NOT ENOUGH TO BUY A PEPSI)
AA 1200/ BA 2400/ MS 3600 . PHD 4800
$1,500
$1,500
$1,500
$50 A MONTH
1500 (PAY SUPPLEMENT A YEAR)
ZERO
1500 (PAY SUPPLEMENT A YEAR)
ZERO
$2,700 (CRIME PAY)
ZERO
WE CONTRIBUTE 10% OF PAY

MDPD
5% INCREASE
AA IS 2.5% OF BASE PAY, BA IS 5% OF BASE PAY
5% INCREASE
5% INCREASE
5% INCREASE
5% INCREASE
TWO STEP INCREASE
THREE PAY STEP INCREASE
5% INCREASE
4% (EVERYONE GETS THIS)
5% (EVERYONE GETS THIS)
ONE STEP INCREASE
THEY CONTRIBUTE NOTHING ($0)

A Proud Tradition in Law Enforcement

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