From Trooper to MDPD Officer

We use Tasers and have shotguns available. You can carry some bigger equipment but you have to supply it at least for now. The department will give you a revolver but you have to supply any semi-autos and we have a list.
There are worse places to work and you should look into Miami Beach too they are hiring and have lots of overtime and off duty money. Good luck

The reason why I'm applying to MDPD is that you guys...
1.) Pay Better
2.) You're FRS
3.) You're a big agency with a lot of different areas other than patrol

Also is it true that you guys only use 9mm for your sidearms? Also, I have a Bushmaster AR, will they let me use that?

You have to buy a Sig 9MM which cost $800+, No 40 cal. They don't want you hurt anyone, so shoot them 5-6 times with the 9MM if you want to stop them. Folks with 40 cal are grand fathered in. And Boca, actually treats their cops like human beings. And Miami & Miami Beach, have 1% funds pensions which cost them nothing. Miami cops are retiring with a check for around 250 grand depending on the market. Don't know what the beach guys are getting.

We've been down this road before. The 1% isn't all what it's cracked up to be when you already contribute 8-10%. You could take 8% of your noncontributory pension and place it into a deferred comp or 401K and you will walk away with a lot more money than any city officer. I have a brother who works for Boca and a cousin at PBSO and both are great places to work. Boca PD contributes 9.8% to their retirement and pays in excess of $400 for a family with health care. PBSO issues rifles, shotguns, tasers, unlimited use of take home car, and they pay around 120 for a family on health care with vision and dental. Right now they buy the their own side arm but they are in the process of getting them issued now. Also, the Sheriff is offering a 457H and at not expense to the Deputy for health care after retirement. They have the FRS and like I said my cousin takes 8% and places it into his deferred comp and after 10 years he has more than 400,000 dollars in his account that is his at any time. So when he retires, he gets his full pension with a drop, and if he stay's on track he will have just about 1,000,000,000 in his deferred comp bank just contributing what most cities already have to contribute. If you are deadest against leaving Dade county, there are some great places down here like Miami Beach, and Miami but if you already have FRS, Miami Gardens and Doral have FRS. If I were you, I'd go north. Take care and be safe.

Sorry just adding a little more info for the brother in brown, FHP, who wants to be a MDPD. I too use to work for the state of florida. If you have your six years in and young enough, you can flip your pension into investment and keep it growing if you move to a department with their own pension system. I now work for Miami. I applied to Miami and Miami Bch because I was looking to maximize my retirement benifits. I had ten years in with the state when I left to come to Miami. I came because of the 1% benifit. A free 300 Grand, by the time I leave, is too hard to pass on. Yes we contribute 7% towards or pension, but we do not pay social security, so we don't really miss the contribution out of our net pay. I also contibute 300 a pay period to my 401 and will increase that to the max of 560 in the near future. I plan on having at least a MILLION by the time I leave Miami. The risk is worth the reward of starting over if you have a plan in mind. The Beach is set up very similar to our system as well, with the exception that their 1% does not pay as much as ours, but their overtime is pensionable and ours is not. Our pay in South Flo is comparable to each other. Miami pays well, now that we have a new contract, that will top us out at around 80 GRAND by 2010. The Beach has always paid well, and their overtime is crazy! Can't tell you all the little perks because that would take all day. Just giving you more to look at. On the other side, MDPD is also a great Dept and if they are your first choice then go for it. I didn't apply because they did not fit into my grand plan of big money in a short time. GOOD LUCK Trooper!

We use Tasers and have shotguns available. You can carry some bigger equipment but you have to supply it at least for now. The department will give you a revolver but you have to supply any semi-autos and we have a list.
There are worse places to work and you should look into Miami Beach too they are hiring and have lots of overtime and off duty money. Good luck

The reason why I'm applying to MDPD is that you guys...
1.) Pay Better
2.) You're FRS
3.) You're a big agency with a lot of different areas other than patrol

Also is it true that you guys only use 9mm for your sidearms? Also, I have a Bushmaster AR, will they let me use that?

You have to buy a Sig 9MM which cost $800+, No 40 cal. They don't want you hurt anyone, so shoot them 5-6 times with the 9MM if you want to stop them. Folks with 40 cal are grand fathered in. And Boca, actually treats their cops like human beings. And Miami & Miami Beach, have 1% funds pensions which cost them nothing. Miami cops are retiring with a check for around 250 grand depending on the market. Don't know what the beach guys are getting.

We've been down this road before. The 1% isn't all what it's cracked up to be when you already contribute 8-10%. You could take 8% of your noncontributory pension and place it into a deferred comp or 401K and you will walk away with a lot more money than any city officer. I have a brother who works for Boca and a cousin at PBSO and both are great places to work. Boca PD contributes 9.8% to their retirement and pays in excess of $400 for a family with health care. PBSO issues rifles, shotguns, tasers, unlimited use of take home car, and they pay around 120 for a family on health care with vision and dental. Right now they buy the their own side arm but they are in the process of getting them issued now. Also, the Sheriff is offering a 457H and at not expense to the Deputy for health care after retirement. They have the FRS and like I said my cousin takes 8% and places it into his deferred comp and after 10 years he has more than 400,000 dollars in his account that is his at any time. So when he retires, he gets his full pension with a drop, and if he stay's on track he will have just about 1,000,000,000 in his deferred comp bank just contributing what most cities already have to contribute. If you are deadest against leaving Dade county, there are some great places down here like Miami Beach, and Miami but if you already have FRS, Miami Gardens and Doral have FRS. If I were you, I'd go north. Take care and be safe.

Sorry just adding a little more info for the brother in brown, FHP, who wants to be a MDPD. I too use to work for the state of florida. If you have your six years in and young enough, you can flip your pension into investment and keep it growing if you move to a department with their own pension system. I now work for Miami. I applied to Miami and Miami Bch because I was looking to maximize my retirement benifits. I had ten years in with the state when I left to come to Miami. I came because of the 1% benifit. A free 300 Grand, by the time I leave, is too hard to pass on. Yes we contribute 7% towards or pension, but we do not pay social security, so we don't really miss the contribution out of our net pay. I also contibute 300 a pay period to my 401 and will increase that to the max of 560 in the near future. I plan on having at least a MILLION by the time I leave Miami. The risk is worth the reward of starting over if you have a plan in mind. The Beach is set up very similar to our system as well, with the exception that their 1% does not pay as much as ours, but their overtime is pensionable and ours is not. Our pay in South Flo is comparable to each other. Miami pays well, now that we have a new contract, that will top us out at around 80 GRAND by 2010. The Beach has always paid well, and their overtime is crazy! Can't tell you all the little perks because that would take all day. Just giving you more to look at. On the other side, MDPD is also a great Dept and if they are your first choice then go for it. I didn't apply because they did not fit into my grand plan of big money in a short time. GOOD LUCK Trooper!

I worked for a city with the 1% and it was way over rated. I now work for an agency with FRS and you can't really beat it. With the economy today, the FRS is the second most stable retirement system in the nation. I don't contribute 7% but I do contribute about 8% to a 401K which will allow me to retire with just about one million dollars on top of a my retirement with the DROP which is an additional 300 - 400 thousand dollars if you're topped out. All places have their pros and cons, but with the unstable economy I would stay away from other retirement options. The FRS investment option here has guys walking away with more money than they know what to do with. I attended a conference with one of our wealthy cities and they are looking to do away with their retirement system beucase they can't afford it. In 10 years from now, I have a feeling you won't see pensions for new officers anymore. Good luck.

Does MDPD allow for STAG ARMS AR-15's? Also do you guys have MDT's in your vehicles? Do you have in-car printers for your reports/tickets?

yeah and a blond secretary in the trunk of your car for any reports and coffee