Executive Services Bureau

The Executive Services Bureau is directed by Major Shalida Smith and exists to support the department’s commitment to quality law enforcement as it relates to Personnel and Recruitment, Human Resources, Public Affairs, Grants, Accreditation, Emergency Management, Volunteers, Chaplaincy Corps and Code Compliance.

Major Shalida Smith

PERSONNEL AND RECRUITMENT

During the year of 2021, 17 sworn personnel retired. The Personnel and Recruitment Unit processed 82 applicants for the position of both certified and non-certified police officers over the 12-month period. Out of those 82 applicants, we welcomed 24 new police officers to our agency. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, detectives within the unit and the recruitment team, continued to make any and all efforts to actively recruit new officers through various platforms such as City of Miramar functions, attending the local criminal justice training & testing sessions, and continuing close relationships with the local police academies. In addition to the increased number of law enforcement personnel that were added to the agency, there were many professional staff positions filled in 2021. The police department hired one communications officer, three code interns, one crime scene technician, two CSA’s, two police administrative techs, one property and evidence clerk and one IT tech. It should be noted that the police department also conducts the background investigations for Miramar Fire Rescue, and this year 14 firefighter paramedics applicant backgrounds were conducted. The Personnel & Recruitment Unit will continue to strive for excellence in recruiting the best candidates for all vacancies within the agency, while mirroring the diversity of our growing city. Despite various challenges, we continue with the highest standards possible in a search for the most qualified individuals to serve the citizens of Miramar.

DIGITAL EVIDENCE UNIT

In an effort to ensure that the Miramar Police Department stays ahead of industry standards, the Digital Evidence Unit (DEU) was created in 2019. The Digital Evidence Unit consists of one sergeant and two digital evidence technicians. The Digital Evidence Unit is responsible for officer training, fulfilling public record requests, equipment maintenance, and acting as a liaison between the Miramar Police Department and the Broward State Attorney’s Office Case Filing Unit. Since the inception of the Digital Evidence Unit, 158 officers have been equipped with Axon body cameras. The Miramar Police Department possesses approximately 141,346 pieces of body-worn camera evidence. In 2021, 1,427 Public Records requests were provided and 748 redactions were completed.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS UNIT

The Public Affairs Unit continues to develop and enhance the Police Department’s relationships with its stakeholders. The unit lobbied on behalf of, and engaged with, the residents, businesses, and charities.

The Public Affairs Unit manages the Citizens’ Police Academy (CPA), a free 14-week course for residents about the Miramar Police Department. Some topics include how investigations are conducted, crime scene procedures, traffic stops, CPR and scenario based “Shoot, Don’t Shoot.” The 50th CPA was held entirely online with 17 students, a first of its kind in our history. The 51st class returned to in person sessions with 30 students.

Through the Department’s continued partnership with the Kiwanis Club of Miramar and Pembroke Pines (KCMPP), officers identified families in need and coordinated assistance. Miramar families were assisted with such items as food, computers, safe and secure decking, and several other items. The Department had the opportunity to assist with their annual Thanksgiving food drive which collected enough food for 110 families and helped the City of Miramar’s food pantry.

Once again, the Department teamed up with Walmart, KCMPP and Endurance Floor Company to provide AC Perry Elementary with a “Take a Book” library. The project aimed to encourage reading from an early age, as studies have shown that there is a direct impact that reading, and literacy skills have on incarceration and crime rates.

The Department is honored to partner with the incredibly generous, Sunbeam Properties. Every year, they gather truckloads of gifts for underserved children. This project supplies the department with toys needed for the various holiday outreach operations called Operation Blue Squad, which is a program that brings joy to the holidays by driving throughout the city and giving out toys and smiles in the streets of Miramar. This year a new event called “Santa Run” was added. This exciting parade of police cars and Santa’s sleigh drove through neighborhoods handing out candy canes and spreading Christmas cheer. With the support of Walmart, the department continued the highly successful “Shop with a Cop” program that allows underserved children to join with a police officer to buy Christmas gifts for themselves and their family.

GRANTS MANAGEMENT AND ACCREDITATION UNIT

The Grants Management and Accreditation Unit is responsible for a variety of areas including accreditation, policies and procedures, city commission agenda items, grant writing and management, the annual report, the volunteer program, the chaplaincy corps and purchases related to all police department grants and Law Enforcement Trust Funds. In an effort to offset costs associated with law enforcement operations from the City, the Department actively seeks alternative funding and received hundreds of thousands of federal, state and local grant funds in 2021.

The Department is committed to providing the most professional law enforcement services available and is therefore dedicated to both state and national accreditation. With only about 3% of the nation’s law enforcement agencies being nationally accredited, this honor is of the utmost importance and is integral to the department’s ability to be a progressive law enforcement agency. The Miramar Police Department has held its national accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) for over 25 years. The Accreditation Unit is also responsible for all areas related to state accreditation through the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation (CFA), which the department has successfully maintained since 1998.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT UNIT

The Emergency Management Unit works to further the department’s ability to mitigate and protect against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural, technological, and human-caused threats and hazards. The Department employs a police planner who works as a liaison with the Fire-Rescue department. Responsibilities of the unit include maintaining emergency plans and procedures and facilitating disaster preparedness and response training. The unit works in cooperation with the City of Miramar, Broward County and State of Florida Emergency Management Divisions on all disaster management and preparedness related activities.

CODE COMPLIANCE DIVISION

The Code Compliance Division is committed to preserving the aesthetics of our wonderful city, making it an enjoyable place to live, work and play. We owe our success to our most valuable stakeholders, the Miramar residents and business owners. They take great pride in their respective communities and have been a force multiplier to achieve the ultimate goal of “voluntary compliance.” Code Compliance is truly appreciative for this partnership. Whilst the priority is to improve property values by administering fair and unbiased enforcement programs; the Division is equally focused on the health and safety of residents and businesses. Though 2021 has brought back some normalcy, the Division remains alert and astute to providing oversight on the health and safety of our communities. The Division has also launched its 21st century code software on the Citys website. This new software makes the Division that more efficient and capable to accept concerns 24 hours per day. The lessons the lessons of 2020 & 2021 have not gone un-noticed, and this new software now puts us ahead of the curve and better able to be ready and respond to any future pandemic, hurricane or catastrophe that may occur.