A YEAR IN REVIEW 2011 - Miami Beach, Florida

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After several minutes, Officer Smith was able to get him to listen and slowly calm him
down to the point where he was able to convince him to come out of the storage room in
a peaceful manner. Fire-Rescue was called and the homeless individual was transported
to the hospital for observation and treatment. Officer Smith diffused a situation that could
have easily escalated into a violent encounter and turn it into a positive opportunity to get
help for a disturbed and potentially dangerous individual.

Civilian of the Month Victim Advocate Sarah Poux

In the evening of June 2nd, 2011, Shirley Jean of Miami Beach intentionally drove her
vehicle, occupied by herself, her seven year old daughter and her two year old son off
the Julia Tuttle Causeway into the bay. Witnesses who responded to assist what they
believed to be an accident observed the subject remove her daughter from the car and
hold her under the water in an attempt to drown her. While witnesses tried to call the two
year old to shore the subject told the child to stay in the water. The impending tragedy
was averted when two passersby jumped into the water and took the children from their
mother and brought them safely to shore. The subject and her children were brought to
Mt. Sinai hospital and as detectives investigated the crime, Victim Advocate Sarah Poux
was called for assistance.

Sarah Poux responded to Mt. Sinai and immediately set about the task of keeping the
children calm and cooperative in the aftermath of this unexplainable, horrendous act.
She used her years of experience as a counselor and advocate to reassure and counsel
the children and making them feel as safe and secure as possible. Her focus on the
children enabled the detectives to focus on the needs of the case, the evidence, and
the law. She spent her time reassuring these children who were forced to cope with the
knowledge the person who was supposed to love and care for them had attempted to
take their lives. While others could focus on physical injuries and evidence, Ms. Poux
saw to the needs of these children and was able to reach them through the pain and
confusion of these horrific events. The compassion and caring demonstrated by Ms.
Poux was far beyond the capabilities of most people and inspires the admiration and
respect of all who work with her.

July 2011

Officer of the Month Detectives Mario Pena and Luis Estopinan (see
MDCACP Officer of the Month section)

Outstanding Service Award Sergeant Gilberto Ortiz

Between July 11th and July 18th, 2011, Sergeant Oritz distinguished himself on the
three following crimes which led to the capture of two violent subjects and retrieval of a
firearm:

On April 6, 2011, a subject threatened the owner of the Restaurant D Vine Hooka
Lounge (445 Lincoln Road) with a knife. In keeping up with the crime trends in this area,
Sergeant Ortiz reviewed the report and recognized the subject as one of the transients
that frequents the area of Lincoln Road. On July 18, 2011, Sergeant Ortiz observed the
subject at Lincoln Road and Drexel Avenue. Sergeant Ortiz again organized a tactfully
sound approach and takedown of the subject. Sergeant Ortiz called the victim via his
cell phone and the victim responded and identified the subject.

On June 22, 2011, a subject robbed three victims at the 1600 block of the beach with
a firearm. An investigation was conducted by the MBPD robbery squad and a flyer was

52  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

created with a photo taken by a surveillance camera when the subject used the victim’s
debit card. On July 12, 2011, Sergeant Ortiz observed the subject loitering at Lincoln
Road and Euclid Avenue. Sergeant Ortiz organized a tactfully sound approach and
takedown of the subject that gave the subject no avenues of escape nor endangering the
public in the area. The subject later confessed to MBPD detectives of using the victim’s
property to retrieve money from her bank account.

On July 13, 2011, a firearm was retrieved from 15th Street and the waterway/ocean.
Officer Beeker was dispatched to pick up the firearm. Officer Beeker reported the
condition of the firearm to Sergeant Ortiz. The firearm, due to the extended period
of time in the water, had corrosion built up and could not be identified or made safe.
Sergeant Ortiz, a certified armorer, took possession of the firearm. He was able to
carefully clean the outside of the firearm, insuring that the markings were not eased
or damaged. The firearm was identified as a 22 caliber Jennings firearm. A records
check revealed that the firearm was stolen from Okfuskee County, Oklahoma in 1999.
Okfuskee County Sheriff’s Department was contacted, Deputy Summers advised that
they had a double homicide of two young females in 2008 in involving the 22 caliber
weapon.

These calls are all excellent examples of Sergeant’s consistent “leading from the front”.
Sergeant Ortiz actions on these dates also removed two violent subjects from the streets
of Miami Beach.

Outstanding Service Award
Officers Gus Blacio, Wilson Romero, and Errol Vidal

During the month of June, six officers were selected to form a Robbery Task Force in an
effort to combat an increase in robberies in Miami Beach. These officers were selected
due to their proactive work habits and proven ability to make quality arrests. One squad
consisted of Officers Gus Blacio, Wilson Romero, and Errol Vidal. These officers spent
the month patrolling the beach and boardwalk from South Pointe Park to 46th Street
as well as the Entertainment District. Most of these patrols took place on foot where
many, many miles were logged in pursuit of “bad guys”. During this month the squad
made 62 arrests including 31 felony arrests. Included in these arrests were 5 robbery
subjects, 6 subjects for carrying a weapon by a convicted felon, 2 subjects for Grand
Theft Auto, and 1 subject for Loitering and Prowling who was on probation for Grand
Theft and was wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet. Eighteen of the subjects arrested
had previously been arrested for robbery. Two subjects were arrested at 4:00 a.m.
standing at the unlocked rear door to the Prime Hotel. One of the subjects had a firearm
in his waistband and the other had been arrested 4 times previously for armed robbery.
They had come to South Beach by motorcycle and had carefully concealed it in the alley
behind the hotel. There is no doubt that these officers prevented a robbery in this case as
well as many other crimes during this month. These officers consistently display initiative,
determination, and hard work.

August 2011

Officer of the Month Officer Elio Sanchez

Officer Elio Sanchez was assisting a sick person at Lincoln Road and Washington
Avenue when he observed a possible wanted subject. Officer Sanchez immediately
recognized the subject from a BOLO flyer that was issued eight months prior in January
2011. The subject on the flyer was a violent offender and wanted for Homicide in South
Carolina. The firearm used in the homicide was never recovered and the subject is

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considered armed and extremely dangerous. The subject is also known to fight police
and run from the police as he in 2010, when Officer Reina arrested him after a foot
chase and a violent struggle. The subject was with another black male walking in and
out of stores on Washington Avenue. Officer Sanchez continued to follow the subject
and requested back-up units to assist with taking the subject into custody. The subject
was taken into custody, arrested and extradited to South Carolina. Officer Sanchez is
to be commended for his observation skills, persistence, and unwavering dedication.

Civilian of the Month Crime Analyst Clifford Sparks

Since the beginning of 2011, Crime Analyst Clifford Sparks has been given the task of
matching surveillance images of subjects who have committed crimes and match them
with names of persons who have been arrested. This task is extremely arduous and time
consuming as Crime Analyst Sparks sifts through hundreds and sometimes thousands of
photographs of persons who have been arrested in Miami-Dade County.

Once Crime Analyst Sparks matches the photograph, he presents his findings to the
investigating detective and a flyer is created. These flyers are distributed to detectives,
and officers to facilitate the process of identifying and locating the subject.

11 two burglary cases had video surveillance of the subject at the scene but no other
leads until Crime Analyst Sparks was able to identify the subjects on the video. This
identification lead to the arrests of subjects in both cases. In many instances the
apprehension of a subject, is the direct result of a flyer created by hard work and
dedication of Crime Analyst Sparks.

Outstanding Service Award Detective Robert Lanier

Detective Robert Lanier is a member of the FBI’s South Florida Violent Crimes/Fugitive
Task Force squad which investigates violent robberies. Detective Lanier was assigned the
lead detective on an armored car shooting which resulted in the death of the armored car
driver at the Calder Race Track.

On Sunday August 21, 2011, Brinks Courier Alvaro Ramos was making a check and
money pick-up from the Calder Casino and Race Course in the City of Miami Gardens.
As Mr. Ramos made his way through the casino and into the parking lot, he was
accompanied by Calder Security Officer Uri Ammar.

While Mr. Ramos and Calder Security Officer Uri Ammar were making their way towards
the parking lot, a black male later identified as Vladimir Louissant could be seen on
surveillance video exiting a Dodge Ram truck. Once Mr. Louissant, dressed in all black
clothing, exited the vehicle and walked to a bench positioned near the exit door, the
same door Mr. Ramos and Calder Security Officer Ammar were to exit. As Mr. Louissant
made his way towards the bench, the driver of a truck, later identified as Reginald Keith
Mitchell, can be seen circling the parking lot, in an attempt to re-position the truck so it
faces the exit door.

As Mr. Ramos and Calder Security Officer Ammar exited the building, Mr. Louissant
stood up from the bench while armed with a .357 revolver and walked towards them. A
confrontation ensues between Mr. Ramos and Mr. Louissant with an exchange of gunfire.
Mr. Ramos was fatally struck and collapsed on the sidewalk. During the exchange of
gunfire, Calder Security Officer Ammar is seen running away.

After grabbing the Brinks bag with checks and cash, Mr. Louissant fled on foot and is
seen getting into the passenger side of the waiting Dodge Ram truck.

54  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

A short time after the robbery, the Dodge Ram truck was located abandoned in the
area of the El Palacio Hotel at 21485 NW 27th Avenue, near the Calder Race Course.
During the course of the investigation, it was revealed that the Dodge Ram truck had
been reported stolen by Byron Kyler just prior to the robbery. In addition, Mr. Kyler
reported that the Dodge Ram truck was stolen from the Walmart parking lot located at
19501 NW 27th Avenue. Quickly noticing inconsistencies in Mr. Kyler’s story, Detective
Lanier mirandized Mr. Kyler and confronted him with surveillance video from both the
Walmart and the Calder Casino and Race Course parking lots. Post Miranda, Mr. Kyler
admitted to conspiring with Mr. Louissant to commit the armed robbery of Mr. Ramos.

Detective Lanier and his team were able to gather additional evidence from Mr. Louissant
and Mr. Kyler about the identity of other subjects involved in the botched armed robbery.
The investigation revealed several other Calder Security Officers and civilian employees
were involved and subsequently arrested for their involvement in the armed robbery.
Five subjects were ultimately arrested and remain in federal custody for this heinous
armed robbery. Detective Lanier’s is to be commended for his dedication, commitment,
and work ethic.

September 2011

Officer of the Month Detectives Antonio Ferbeyre and Eric Figueroa

Detectives Antonio Ferbeyre and Eric Figueroa were nominated for two separate incidents
during the month of September.

Incident #1 – September 16, 2011

Detectives Ferbeyre and Figueroa were patrolling the Hawthorne/Crespi area in the
North district in response to several complaints of criminal gang activity. They observed
a gold colored four door Chevrolet parked, blocking a driveway to a home. Due to an
increase of burglaries in the area, the detectives decided to surveil the vehicle. While
observing the vehicle, they noticed that the two male occupants attempted to conceal
themselves every time a vehicle passed them. After observing this suspicious behavior,
the detectives decided to investigate the two subjects. Upon initiating a traffic stop,
the passenger sitting in the front seat appeared to look around nervously. As Detective
Figueroa began to ask him questions, he noted that the subject’s voice began to quiver
and has hands were shaking. Detective Figueroa communicated his observations to
Detective Ferbeyre and they both decided that the subject’s suspicious actions warranted
a more in depth investigation than a mere traffic stop.

As Detective Figueroa asked the front passenger to exit the vehicle, he noticed that the
subject began to once again look around as if he were looking for an avenue of escape.
The subject began to exit the vehicle, and now appeared to be breathing extremely
heavily. Upon exiting the vehicle, the subject began to make furtive movements to his
waistband. Without missing a beat, Detective Figueroa observed this slight movement
and ordered the subject to place his hands on the vehicle. Detectives Ferbeyre and
Figueroa, using proper contact and cover tactics, patted down the subject to determine
what the subject was attempting to retrieve from his waistband. During the pat down,
Detective Figueroa located a black Glock handgun inside a canvas holster. Detectives
Figueroa and Ferbeyre arrested the subjects. A records check further revealed that the
firearm was stolen during a burglary in July 2000 in Miami-Dade Police Department’s
jurisdiction. The subject also had a fugitive warrant out of Broward County for possession
of cocaine dating back to 2008.

After reviewing the subject’s charges and extensive past, Detectives Figueroa and

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Ferbeyre notified the ATF and filed federal charges. Since the time of the arrest, the
subject has remained in federal custody and will likely face a minimum 15 year sentence.

It is still unknown why the subjects were sitting in a car attempting to conceal themselves,
but it is more than apparent that if it were not for the decisive actions of Crime Suppression
Team Detectives Figueroa and Ferbeyre, the safety of the citizens and law enforcement
officers in the City of Miami Beach were clearly at risk.

Incident #2 – September 21, 2011:

While proactively patrolling the south district, Detectives Figueroa and Ferbeyre observed
what appeared to be a homeless male subject pushing a large commercial garbage can
down the street in the area of 10th Street and Washington Avenue. The garbage can,
which is normally found behind restaurants, appeared to be heavy and full as the subject
pushed it down the street. Based on their training and experience, the Detectives went
with their intuition and stopped the subject to allow him to dispel their alarm. Upon the
initial stop, the subject began to sweat profusely and became extremely nervous as he
attempted to hold down the lid of the garbage can. The Detectives opened the garbage
can and observed 45 bottles of wine as well as several burglary tools. Closer inspection
of one of the bottles revealed a shipping receipt that was addressed to 721 Lincoln Road,
the Tiramesu Restaurant. While the subject was detained by uniform patrol officers,
the Detectives responded to Tiramesu and spoke to the restaurant employees who were
completely unaware that anything was missing. Detectives and the restaurant manager
went to the rear storage area of the restaurant and observed that the door frame had
been pried off and several boxes were missing. Shortly thereafter, Detectives reviewed
the surveillance video and observed the subject enter through the rear fence and proceed
to pry open the door to the storage area. The subject then began to load the boxes into
the garbage can that belonged to the restaurant. The total value of the bottles of wine
was $1,450.

The subject believed he had gotten away with burglarizing a business on Miami Beach,
since he was able to make it from the 700 block of Lincoln Road all the way to the 10th
Street and Washington Avenue area. But what he did not count on was the Crime
Suppression Team being in the area. Their keen eye and attention to detail is nothing
short of impressive.

Civilian of the Month Public Safety Specialist Yarden Rosenthal

Awarded for five noteworthy incidents from June through September 2011.

Incident #1 – June 16, 2011

PSS Rosenthal was driving eastbound in the 1000 block of Lincoln Lane South when she
observed a white male stumbling across Michigan Avenue. The male walked away from
between a knocked over Harley-Davidson motorcycle and a parked blue vehicle on the
east side of the street. PSS Rosenthal asked the male if either of the vehicles belonged to
him and he answered no. She took note of his direction of travel and then walked over
to the blue vehicle noticing the passenger side was badly damaged and the windows
were down. While conducting a license plate check through the message center, it was
revealed that the vehicle was reported as stolen to the City of Miami Police Department
in May 2011. She contacted the owner’s insurance company, Geico, and spoke with a
representative who confirmed that the vehicle had been reported as stolen by the owner.
A few minutes later, a male resident approached PSS Rosenthal and told her that a white
male was slumped over the steering wheel for a couple of hours and had just gotten out
of the vehicle and left. She asked the witness for a description and recognized it as
matching the male she had observed walking away from the two parked vehicles a short

56  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

time ago. PSS Rosenthal located the subject in the 900 block of Lincoln Lane South and
requested an officer to respond. Sgt. Ruder responded and located the subject and after
a pat down located the keys to the damaged vehicle in the subject’s pocket. The witness
was able to positively identify the subject and he was placed under arrest.

Incident #2 – Early August 2011

Sgt. Ortiz asked PSS Rosenthal to respond to the 200 / 300 block of Lincoln Road
regarding traffic and parking enforcement in the bus lanes. The 300 block of Lincoln
Road is under construction and the bus stops have been moved to the 200 block. Several
“No Parking” signs are posted and PSS Rosenthal was tasked with monitoring this area
as keeping this area free of parked vehicles allows the buses to pull in and out of
the traffic lane without difficulty. A Miami-Dade Transit Authority supervisor observed
PSS Rosenthal’s efforts in keeping this area clear of parked vehicles and wrote a
complimentary email to Sgt. Ortiz thanking her for her hard work.

Incident #3 – August 3, 2011

PSS Rosenthal was dispatched to an occupied burglary at the “W” Hotel Penthouse
#1628. She met with the victim who stated that he went to bed at 0300 hours and
when he woke up at 0900 hours, he noticed his wallet, documents, and Ipads were
missing from the dining room table. The victim’s wife stated that she closed the front
door but did not put on the safety latch. Hotel security advised a housekeeper found a
wallet containing Mexican passports in one of the stairwells earlier that morning which
belonged to the victim. A report was taken listing the stolen items. Information gathered
by PSS Rosenthal was instrumental in Detectives later making an arrest in this case and
connecting the subject to several other burglaries in nearby hotels.

Incident #4 – August 24, 2011

PSS Rosenthal responded to a fraud call at 1674 Meridian Avenue, a cosmetic surgeon’s
office. The office manager advised that a female came in for a consultation and filled
out a questionnaire for a cosmetic procedure but was unable to produce any form of
identification. PSS Rosenthal ran the patient’s name through the DAVID system and came
up with a match that she provided to Detectives. Cross referencing the information from
DAVID and the female’s questionnaire PSS Rosenthal identified several inconsistencies
including inverted numerals on an address and date of birth. A few days later, the
female’s fiancé called and provided the necessary credit card information to schedule the
procedure. The appointment was set up for August 30th. On August 19th, the doctor’s
office received a call from the credit card owner asking why they had been charged
$1,500 on their account. It was discovered that the victim’s credit card had been
cloned. After conferring with detectives, PSS Rosenthal advised the office manager to
keep the scheduled appointment and call the police as soon as the subject arrived. On
August 30th, Detectives Arias and Fagan arrived at 1674 Meridian Avenue and picked
up the female and her fiancé. They were transported to the station and interviewed. The
couple was arrested.

Incident #5 – September 14, 2011

A call of a missing female juvenile was dispatched. A BOLO with the description, the
female’s name and male that she may be with was broadcast. The female is a freshman
at Miami Beach Senior High School and was wearing a red polo school uniform shirt.
PSS Rosenthal observed a female matching the BOLO with a male. She stopped and
asked them their names and was told Tina and Sebastian. The female was not wearing
the clothing described in the BOLO. PSS Rosenthal continued talking to them and asked
the male if there was a problem. She explained that they were looking for a missing
female and that “Tina” matched the description. They both insisted their names were

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“Tina and Sebastian”. Suddenly, the male approached PSS Rosenthal’s car and said,
“I’m not going to let anything happen to her, I am going to take care of her.” Immediately
PSS Rosenthal raised the dispatcher and requested an officer respond to assist with the
possible runaway. Within a minute, Officers Brown, Llamoca, and Haughton arrived on
the scene. The male juvenile became defiant and Officer Brown handcuffed him and
placed him in his patrol car. He then asked the female for her name to which she still
replied Tina. Sgt. Ortiz began to question her further, and she finally admitted her name
was “Crista”. She was transported to the Police Station and reunited with her family.

In each of the cases noted above, PSS Rosenthal went above and beyond what is
expected from a PSS. The results of the cases were either solid arrests or safe outcomes.
During this three month period, her stats were continuously high, yielding 974 parking
citations, 100 Offense Incident Reports, 79 Accident Reports and 60 Moving Citations.
She is a consistently hard worker and strives to perform at the highest levels on a daily
basis.

October 2011

Officer of the Month Officer Philip Elmore

On October 16, 2011 at 6:14 p.m., officers were dispatched to the MacArthur
Causeway, just west of Palm Island, in reference to a person who had been stabbed on a
bus. The subject had fled the bus on foot. Officer Philip Elmore and PPO Clair were the
first to arrive and were directed by frantic witnesses to the seawall approximately 200
yards west of their location. Officer Elmore located the subject hiding in the shrubbery
attempting to elude capture. The subject spontaneously uttered that he had thrown the
knife in the water where he had been hiding and subsequently arrested. Additional
responding officers were able to render aid to the stabbing victim while waiting for fire
rescue. The quick response of these officers prevented this armed felon from escaping
without further incident.

November 2011

Officer of the Month Officer Daniel Molina

Officers responded to 401 69th Street, #1208 in reference to subject throwing items
into the street from his 12th story balcony. When Officers Molina, El-Jourdi and
Castillo arrived they observed subject Mr. Pinilla throwing items into the street from the
balcony while screaming “I want to kill myself” in Spanish. Officers went to Mr. Pinilla’s
apartment and observed the door open and Mr. Pinilla attempting to climb over the
balcony and jump while continuing to scream that he wanted to kill himself. Officer
Molina immediately ran to Mr. Pinilla and grabbed him before he could finish climbing
over the balcony to jump and pulled him back inside the apartment. Mr. Pinilla violently
began to kick and punch at the officers while attempting to force his way back to the
balcony. After several warnings, Mr. Pinilla was tasered and eventually subdued. He
was transported to Mt. Sinai hospital for an involuntary examination.

Civilian of the Month Alecia Hinds

Ms. Hinds is a master at multi-tasking. She truly understands the changing fiscal
environment that has employees doing much more with less resources. This is especially
true in the Support Services Division. One of the most daunting tasks recently has been
the redacting of information to fill public records requests. Even though she is busy with
her own responsibilities, Ms. Hinds frequently assists other Units with filling their public

58  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

records requests. To facilitate the redaction process, Ms. Hinds began researching
programs that would make the process less time consuming. She also started an internal
filing system of filled public records requests because of the high probability that another
request would be made for the same file. This cut down significantly on the processing
time. However, as more requests were being processed, storage became an issue. Ms.
Hinds contacted the City of Miami Beach Human Resources Department to inquire how
they process their public records requests. After further research, Ms. Hinds submitted
a request a computer program to use to assist with the redactions. This significantly
lowered the cost of the resources needed to process the requests (i.e. copy paper, toner,
ink) and space used to store copies of the requests which are now stored electronically.

Ms. Hinds also took the initiative to develop a new data base to facilitate the tracking
of commendations received by MBPD personnel. She also made the effort to become
a Microsoft Office and Microsoft Access power user, thus making her a great asset
to the Division. She routinely assists other employees throughout the Department with
computer related issues. Her dedication and exemplary work ethic combine to make her
a tremendously valuable asset to the MBPD.

December 2011

Officers of the Month
Officer Shantell Mitchell and Officer Delvin Brown

On December 8, 2011, Officer Mitchell observed a suspicious vehicle occupied by four
females behind the Victoria Secrets store at 901 Lincoln Road. This particular Victoria
Secrets store has been the target of an organized retail shoplifting crime group in the
past. All subjects parked in a nearby lot and exited the vehicle. The subjects walked
towards Lincoln Road and approximately 8 minutes later returned to their vehicle. Once
inside the vehicle, the subjects drove through the parking lot for an extended period of
time. Officer Mitchell, who was on a walking beat at the time, contacted Officer Brown
in reference to the suspicious vehicle and requested to have a traffic stop conducted.
Officer Brown immediately responded to the area and initiated a traffic stop on the
subject vehicle for numerous safety equipment violations as well as an altered Florida
license plate. Officer Mitchell responded to the scene and immediately recognized the
driver from a BOLO flyer that was issued for retail theft. Detective Azim was contacted
and responded to the scene to assist with the investigation. The driver/subject was
arrested for DWLS and transported to the Criminal Investigations Division for further
investigation. Officer Brown talked with the other three occupants of the suspicious
vehicle and was able to convince them to voluntarily respond to the station for an
interview with Property Crimes Detectives. An extensive investigation was conducted by
the aforementioned officers. Officer Mitchell found numerous stolen items from Victoria
Secrets concealed inside the subject’s clothing. The stolen items were identified by
a Victoria Secret’s employee and returned. Detective Azim was able to close three
additional cases under the subject’s name and linked one of the other occupants of the
vehicle to another pending retail shoplifting case.

Both Officers Mtichell and Brown are to be commended for their proactive approach to
police work and the outstanding initiative and dedication they demonstrated on this case.

59

Civilian(s) of the Month
Municipal Service Workers Fernando Baca and Juan Garcia

Municipal Service Workers (MSW) Fernando Baca and Juan Garcia are both heavily
relied upon throughout the Police Department to complete tasks that are vital and that
most people would not care to do. From setting up barricades for the various protests
and events, to helping year after year with the Annual MBPD Holiday Toy Drive, these
two outstanding employees continue to perform above and beyond their call of duty.

For this year’s MBPD Holiday Toy Giveaway which occurred on December 17th, Mr.
Baca and Mr. Fernandez were vital components of many behind the scenes tasks that
make this such a successful event. A few of these tasks consisted of picking up donated
toys from the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce party and the GLBT party, setting up
barricades, tables and chairs for the event, picking up donated food from Burger King,
McDonalds, and Publix, preparing the roll call room for breakfast service on the event
day and breaking down and cleaning up the Community Room at the conclusion of the
event.

Both MSW Baca and Garcia are two very hard working individuals that make the jobs
of others at the MBPD much easier.

2011 OFFICER OF THE YEAR Detective Rob Lanier

Detective Lanier is assigned to the FBI’s Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force and is part of
the rotation to be the lead investigator for cases that are referred to the Task Force. In
addition, he also carries a full case load with the MBPD Criminal Investigations Division
Robbery Squad.

This year has proven to be remarkable for Detective Lanier with the FBI Violent Crimes
Task Force as he not only assisted in the investigation of multiple bank robberies, but
when the armed robbery of a Brinks carrier truck resulted in the shooting death of the
messenger, he was designated to be the lead investigator of the case. Detective Lanier
lead an intensive investigation and ultimately identified, located and arrested the subjects
in this armed robbery/homicide case. This case was highly profiled in the media and the
U.S. Attorney’s Office is seeking the federal death penalty for the subject.

As a result of Detective Lanier’s investigative work, he received five Letters of Commendation
during 2011. Below is a summary of these extraordinary cases:

March 3, 2011 – Detective Lanier was commended along with other members of the
Criminal Investigations Unit for his participation in the capture of a serial arsonist who
had plagued the City for several days. The subject caused millions of dollars in damage
to historically preserved structures within the Collins Park area. Captain Gullage
highlighted “the dedication and determination of all involved in solving one of the most
egregious crimes this City has experienced in recent times.”

60  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

April 21, 2011 – Detective Lanier was commended for his involvement in a long term
undercover investigation into a ring of Russian organized crime which had established a
criminal enterprise involving credit card fraud. The investigation was jointly undertaken
by the FBI and the MBPD. The case originated as a mere “robbery victim” who had
been swindled after being drugged during a night of partying on South Beach. Detective
Lanier, after interviewing the victim, and hearing the subject description, ran the case by
the organized crime group of the FBI who immediately showed an interest in the case.
The investigation led to the insertion of an undercover police officer which ultimately led
to the indictment of (17) seventeen individuals. Major Vazquez highlighted Detective
Lanier’s tenacity, dedication, and commitment as a testament to his courage and
professionalism.

April 27, 2011 – Detective Lanier was commended by Lieutenant Ortega for his
involvement in the investigation of a robbery and attempted sexual battery. The subject in
the case attempted to bind the victim’s, hands and feet, which was eerily similar to a case
Detective Fernandez had handled a few months prior. Detective Lanier immediately set
out to assist the dayshift violent crimes squad. The investigation culminated in the arrest
of an illegal immigrant who had never been arrested. After latent prints were compared,
the subject arrested was proven to be the same subject from Detective Fernandez’ prior
case. Lieutenant Ortega stated that “if not for their perseverance and willingness to assist
at a moment’s notice, this elusive subject would have escaped apprehension.”

July 22, 2011 – Detective Lanier along with the rest of the robbery squad was commended
for their investigation of an alleged reported Armed Robbery/Kidnapping. Through
Detective Lanier’s hard work and thoroughness, Detectives were able to determine that a
robbery did not take place and that it was in fact a drug deal gone bad. The victim was
then instrumental in the arrest of a drug dealer at 100 Lincoln Road.

August 21, 2011 – Detective Lanier was nominated by Lieutenant Carulo for his
involvement in the investigation of the Murder of the Brinks messenger guard. For this
case, Detective Lanier received the CID Detective of the Month Award.

September 21, 2011 – Detective Lanier along with other members of his squad responded
to the armed robbery of a Wells Fargo bank in the City of Miami Beach. The subject
in this case was arrested by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force on January 21,
2012.

Although a lot of the work in many of these investigations is accomplished by a multitude
of individuals, the cases ultimately have to be coordinated by the lead investigator.
When these cases are assigned to Detective Lanier, you can rest assured that the cases
will ultimately be “trial ready”. Detective Lanier continues to demonstrate an incredible
work ethic and has built a reputation for himself as being one of the most effective
investigators at both the local and federal level.

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Civilian of the Year 2012 Mauvett Rattigan, Police Financial Assistant

Ms. Rattigan has been working tirelessly in the position vacated by the retirement of
Bill Gonzalez as the acting supervisor of the Financial Management Unit. Effective
in October of 2010, Ms. Rattigan was promoted to the position of Police Financial
Assistant. Ms. Rattigan has done everything possible to ensure a smooth transition
for the Police Department’s budgetary and fiscal processes. In this new assignment,
Ms. Rattigan directly supervises the Financial Management Unit which is comprised of
an Accounting Clerk III, an Administrative Aide II, and an Account Clerk I. It should
be noted that towards the end of this rating period, the Account Clerk III transferred
to the Information Technology Department. Ms. Rattigan also took on the majority of
the responsibilities of the Accounting Clerk III until a Financial Specialist II was hired,
allowing the Financial Management Unit to continue operating in an effective manner.

The Financial Management Unit oversees the overall financial operation of the Police
Department. The Miami Beach Police Department’s $88,920,529 budget is primarily
funded by general fund dollars and other funding sources requiring a great deal of
coordination to monitor.

Ms. Rattigan has worked diligently with the Chief and Assistant Chief on the formulation
of the Police Department’s fiscal budget as well as managing the day to day tasks
associated with routine operations and special events. This monumental task included
active participation in preparing many Commission Memorandums necessary for the
Police Department’s fiscal operations, coordinating the reporting requirements for grant
funded projects, utilizing the Eden System to produc specialized reports, compiling the
supporting documentation for budgetary transfers and direct payments, as well as the
multitude of purchase orders, travel requests, and requests for reimbursement.

Under the best of circumstances developing a budget is a time consuming and
complicated process, and during austere economic times, this process becomes even
more problematic. The recent budget reductions caused by property tax reforms passed
by the Florida Legislature have continued to have a negative impact on the City’s overall
budget, as well as the overall economic decline in property values throughout the State
of Florida and the nation as a whole. The economic challenges facing the City of
Miami Beach make effective management of fiscal resources an even higher priority.
Ms. Rattigan is well aware of these factors from her many years of experience in
Financial Management Unit and has embraced the specific challenges facing the Police
Department with resolute effectiveness and extraordinary dedication. This includes the
tremendous increase in their work load with the retirement of Mr. Gonzalez and the
transfer of the Accounting Clerk III to the Information Technology Department. Despite
these critical workload challenges, Ms. Rattigan has done a truly remarkable job in
ensuring a smooth transition with this new position. In essence, there has been a smooth
learning curve. Ms. Rattigan already possesses a wealth of experience and knowledge
that she has utilized to great advantage for the Police Department. Within the space of a
few short months, Ms. Rattigan has begun to master the complexities of this new position
continuing to propel the Financial Management Unit to a new level of efficiency and
improved accountability. Ms. Rattigan has also fostered a renewed sense of cooperation
and improved customer service both internally within the Financial Management Unit
and with their external customers. The Police Department is extremely fortunate to have
an individual of Ms. Rattigan’s caliber as part of their budgetary team.

62  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

2011 CRIME STATISTICS

The following are the Uniform Crime Report (UCR) statistics for Part I Crimes as indexed
annually, for calendar year 2011. Part I Crimes include Homicide, Forcible Rape,
Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Burglary, Larceny and Motor Vehicle Theft.

Miami Beach continues to gain popularity as a destination of choice for local and
international visitors. Our City plays host to a growing number of special events and
major event periods, as well as serve as home to an increasingly engaged resident and
business community.

Local economic indicators reflect this growing trend, with the collection of resort tax at
$15.9 million from January to October 2011 – an almost 20% increase from 2010.
Occupancy rates at Miami Beach hotels were 75% in 2011, which represents an increase
of almost 10% from 2010. Moreover, a comparison of passenger arrivals to Miami
International Airport between January 2011 and January 2012 shows an increase of
10.2% in international arrivals and an 8.0% increase in domestic arrivals, providing a
total increase of 9.1% in passenger arrivals. Historically, it has been estimated that 70%
of these tourists will visit Miami Beach during their stay.

The increasing number of visitors during 2011 has had a significant impact on City
resources and how services are delivered to the community. This is particularly true
for the Miami Beach Police Department, which has continued to focus on its mission of
making our community safe for visitors, businesses and residents alike.

2011 is the fourth consecutive year that the number of homicides has decreased – with a
50% decrease from 2010 to 2011. Rape cases increased by one in 2011 as compared
to 2010, and there were 8 more aggravated assaults in 2011 than in 2010. The total
number of robberies citywide increased by 18 cases in 2011, in spite of MBPD’s arrests
of 169 persons for robberies as compared to 149 in 2010 – an increase of 13.4% in the
total number of arrests. Although 2011 shows a 2.66% increase in overall violent crime
from 2010, the overall violent crimes for 2011 remains lower than every year between
2001 and 2009.

In addition, in an effort to prevent violent crimes the MBPD implemented several proactive
crime initiatives. These initiatives led to 5,034 misdemeanor and 1,708 felony arrests
and closure of several cases. The department continued outreach efforts within the
entertainment district during high volume periods, such as Spring Break, to provide
information and educate about date rape prevention, as well as the general prevention
of crimes. In addition, during the six-week period of Spring Break in 2011, 91 felony
and 328 misdemeanor arrests were affected; for a two-week period in August, the Crime
Suppression Team affected 23 felony and 43 misdemeanor arrests; and during the month
of December, 174 felony and 715 arrests were affected.

In 2011, burglaries declined by 1.8% decrease and motor vehicle thefts declined by
3% decrease as well. Despite 916 arrests and proactive enforcement efforts, property
crimes continue to be a challenge for MBPD, particularly in the area of larcenies, which
increased by 12.7%, even though arrests for this type of crime increased by 3% from
2010. By Uniform Crime Reporting standards, larcenies have 9 sub-categories that
include shoplifting, vehicle break-ins where a theft occurs, thefts from a building, all other
thefts which comprises thefts from beach blankets.

63

Upon review and analysis of UCR Part I Crimes from 2001 to 2011, it is evident that,
much like over the last four (4) years, larcenies are the main driver in the increase of
overall crime. In 2011, 5 of the 7 UCR crime types are still lower than the levels for
2009.

Larcenies are considered crimes of opportunity, associated with a variety of factors
which include a struggling economy and the continued popularity of Miami Beach
with increased visitors and countless special events – all of which create a “target rich
environment”.

Below is a chart that depicts the UCR crime report comparisons from 2001 through 2011

UNIFORM CRIME REPORT COMPARISON SINCE 2001

64  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

Type of Crime 2001 2009 2010 2011 Percent Difference Percent Difference
from 2001 from 2010

Homicide 6784 -33.33% -50%

Rape 98 41 39 40 -59.18% 2.56%

Robbery 484 421 352 370 -23.55% 5.11%

Aggravated 653 437 465 473 -27.57% 1.72%
Assault -28.53% 2.66%

Total Violent Crime 1,241 906 864 887

Burglary 1,607 1,207 1,192 1,171 -27.13% -1.76%

Larceny 7,000 6,567 6,957 7,838 11.97% 12.66%

Motor Vehicle Theft 1,369 665 594 576 -57.93% -3.03%

Total Property 9,976 8,439 8,743 9,585 -3.92% 9.63%
Crime

Total Part I UCR 11,217 9,345 9,607 10,472 -6.64% 9%
Crimes

The chart above depicts Part I UCR category comparisons from calendar year 2009 through 2011, as well as the percentage difference
from 2001 and 2010:

The MBPD will continue to proactively fight crime in 2012, and will utilize all available
resources strategically to address criminal activity, by effectively utilizing all available
resources. Emphasis will be placed on community policing, based on timely crime
analysis information, as well as anticipating criminal behavior associated with major
events and other activities taking place in the City.

65

general information

84,633 9,100 7 MILLION

Residents Resident units/per square mile Tourists: Domestic: 52.4%
International: 47.6%
56,650 4,300
2 MILLION

WORKFORCE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES OFFICE SPACE

180,000

Hotel rooms

$800 Million 7.1APPROXIMATELY
10SQUARE MILES OF LAND
FOOD AND BEVERAGE SPENDING
MILES OF WATER.
7$ Billion TOTAL WATER FRONTAGE JUST OVER

GROSS CITY PRODUCT 63
MILES
$500 Million

Private development

3$ Billion

REAL ESTATE SALES

66  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT

67

68  2011 MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT