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
PRESIDENT

Thomas Reyes
SECRETARY

For Immediate Release:

Contact: Javier Ortiz
Phone: 786-290-1183
November 1, 2015
Miami FOP Lodge# 20 Treat MPD Employees Right & Transparent to the
Public

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

As we are all aware, the Miami Police Department is struggling to fill sworn vacancies for
the rank of police officer. Last Friday, someone anonymously dropped off this flyer at our
office showing Miami Police Recruits doing labor outside the scope of their employment.
There was a note stating they were going to be disseminated throughout the city. Our
highly trained police recruits have been waxing the floors at the police college, pressure
cleaning parking lots, and painting (classrooms, hallways, and also the parking lot). These
recruits are not trained to use this equipment or chemicals, nor do they have the safety
gear to do the job right. It is also an extreme liability. Imagine that one of these recruits
are pressure cleaning outside without safety goggles, a piece of debris strikes their eye
and they cant perform at the academy. This is also an issue for the civilian bargaining
unit, AFSCME 1907 because these actions effects the terms and conditions of their
members. It really is a true embarrassment.

If these recruits are waiting to begin a new academy class, why cant they receive extra
training such as:
Role play scenarios
Shoot or dont shoot techniques to make their judgment sharper.
Sensitivity training
Studying the law to protect our community from civil rights violations.
Why do you think they arent? Its quite simple: Because we are short on staffing.
When the FOP brought up the fact that we had recruits for months playing basketball
because they didnt have uniforms, the administration told the commission it wasnt true.
Soon after that meeting, the FOPs statement on this was confirmed.
We understand that Chief Llanes is under so much pressure to hire anyone he can in
order to meet the demands of the commission. Its getting so bad that the department is
also creating advertisements with police officers in fictitious uniforms and units that
dont exist.
Maybe they have to do this because our police officers that work here havent received a
step raise if they have less than four years on. Im sure it also has to do with the fact that
those who have been here longer make less than they did in 2010. The Mayor continues
to make misstatements that we have been given raises, which isnt true. Again, our
current cops made more in 2010 than they do today.
We ask our elected officials and our administrators in Employee Relations to make the
proper adjustments so our police recruits receive all the training they can get. And, if the
MPD is going to publish an advertisement, please at least make it real. This isnt CSI
Miami or an NCIS show. The department has an obligation to be transparent to all
prospective applicants.
Thank you,
Javier Ortiz, President
Miami Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #20

A Proud Tradition in Law Enforcement

Flyer left unanimously at the FOP.

A Proud Tradition in Law Enforcement

A Proud Tradition in Law Enforcement

A Proud Tradition in Law Enforcement