"changes"

With all the talk about "change" in this place. I used to think it was for the better, up dated/revised S.O.P., new paint job on cars, laptops, new construction even a new leadership and rank structure. It looked promising but then I opened my eyes and saw the real "change".

The "change" was simple, "stop pissing on the cops and start shatting on them".

The agency is sub-standard in all aspects and the cops are either hopeful, anxious to leave or, too mentally drained to care anymore. The city is one of the largest in florida but operates its police department like a pimp operates the streets. Everything in this flunking place is arse-backwards.

Our union reps are trying to help but no one cares. The off duty situation is the biggest scam since the collars for dollars era. The cops can coordinate off duties better than whats her face. Nobody governs her actions and only people in the circle of trust/lust work the off duties.

No matter how much better we ever get we are still always going to be 10 steps behind every body else. Department heads (not all) in our agency somewhere down the line has to answer to someone that has never been a cop and knows nothing about our job. A perfect example is the situation with the MDT's some stiff at city hall that looks like he still lives with at home and eats milk & cookies every night in his harry potter bed before going to sleep gets to decide what type of equipment we use.

I am sick and tired of the double standards here. some get take homes other don't. Some get off duties others don't. As far as the police work it's great but that stuff get old and it will never pay the bills (not with our pay scale).

I only wrote this topic in order to purge my stress and thoughts. I don't care what anyone else writes back. From now on I'm going to give this place the same thing it gives me "nothing"

It sounds like you've been there a while, probably way too long!
There's an old German saying: Too soon old...too late smart.
Get out before its too late.

And the academy award for best portration of a Police Dept. goes to Lifeless in HPD. I sir agree with your posting 120%. BRAVO Lifeless BRAVO. If you would be so kind as to let me express some of my concerns........

The ED (Extra Duty) situation is as crooked as a paraplegic’s spinal cord. Posting for an ED in this place is like playing a game of Russian Roulette. I have posted my name for every ED possible and have not gotten one yet. However, you have certain individuals who have ED’s up the ying yang. Some ED’s don’t even get posted, they are given to these individuals via a telephone call. You have many officers (Myself included) that walk around here shaking uncontrollably, mumbling, and scratching themselves all over trying to solicit someone for their ED. Just like a f@cking crack addict trying to solicit someone for a rock. While other departments can’t fill their ED’s fast enough, we are fighting tooth and nail for scraps.

Another f@cked up situation is our lack of equipment. While officers with court ID’s ranging in the 1900’s have computers, I still have a “Tandy”. Yes, you heard right a “Tandy” I use this Pre-Historic piece of sh!t to write reports. Now don’t get me wrong, many people used Tandy’s. Take for instance Moses. He used it to write the Ten Commandments. Other people to use the Tandy were Michelangelo, Shakespeare, The Ancient Egyptian Pharos, and HomoErectus. It’s sad that in the year 2008 other departments have Computers, GPS systems, Machines to scan Drivers Licenses, Portable DUI machines, printers in their cars, Radars, Flux-Compasetors, etc. and I’m still using a Tandy!

Another f@cked up situation is the Money/Budget issue. We don’t have take homes, we don’t get raises, we don’t have higher ED rates, we don’t have equipment because of the budget. Yet the Main Station is being rebuilt, the gym is being rebuilt, a building at Walker Park is being built, we got a big truck (Command Post) and the vehicles were given new paint jobs. Hundreds of Thousands of dollars are being put towards sh!t we don’t need. Put that money to use on something useful like patrol!

In conclusion the best way to sum up this place is to compare it to the Titanic. It’s quickly sinking and you have just two options.
(1) Jump ship and leave to another department
(2) Remain on board and hold on for a long, treacherous ride.

No wonder people are leaving here faster than a 10 year old boy at Michael Jackson’s house. Mayor Robaina and his staff better wake up and take drastic measures to better this place or we will continue to lose good officers! Chief Overton can only do so much. God help us all! :cry:

You and I sir are on the same page !!! I just hope other officers wil agree and express their opinions. I guarantee that those indidviduals that can make a difference, read these threads and do one of three things laugh out of humor, cry from depression, or realize they have royally made love to this place way beyond the point of no return.

In closing, even if things do change. Milk this place for whatever you can and flee to another agency at the least you'll get proper wages, equipment and, benefits everything else is second. Not the other way around like hear ar HPD.

Are you kidding your selves?
Everything begins with you. Think of the following.

1. We have never seen in a piece of paper that mandates that we must write 2 tickets a day and yet, the majority if not everyone complies with this unwritten and unethical rule. This trend is more common in Zone 1 and none of us stands up against that and demand a written departmental rule that mandates to write two (2) citations or more a day.

2. Some have forgotten all of the requirements and standards that must be met to make an arrest. For example, probable cause is needed to make a lawful arrest and it can only be created after a crime was committed and that person charged committed such crime right. However, we also must know that to meet the standard that that person actually committed the crime we require evidence and not just mere evidence but substantial ones. We cannot solely rely on a witness statement and must have more than just a plain statement. We need physical, circumstantial or any other type of evidence in addition to a witness statement. But the majority of officers do not follow that and make an arrest with the minimum, sometimes questionable, evidence.

For example: Some have arrested people for County Ordinances without seen the commission of the crime solely beause a higher hierarchical officer mandates such arrest although him himself did not observe it and disregarding the misdemeanor exception rule. Also, some officers arrest certain people because they are just walking on the sidewalk drunk and not really committing the crime of disorderly intoxication which requires more elements.

3. Some officers talk to the citizens and view them as piece of trash; however, thanks to them the police has the authority that they have. But no officers know that since they do not teach that in 7th grade nor the academy.

4. Some line supervisors are as ignorants as the officers are. They are afraid to make decicions and when in doubt, which is most of the time, they call the superior officers. For example: some supervisors believe that if a crime takes place at a directed patrol while the officer is not present then the officer is liable.

WRONG.

Florida Law and Case Laws do not allow any police officer to be liable, civilly or criminally, for doing his job or for any crimes that take place out of the presence of the officer. If the older lady that was assaulted gets assaulted again while there is a directed patrol, officers are not liable. If the victim of a previous domestic violence call gets murder 25 minutes after officers leave the residence or place of offense and the murder was committed by the same suspect of the previous call, the officers are not liable for that murder as long as they did their job during the initial call; their job is to provide first aid, provide the victim with a DV pamphlet and write a well document report whether an arrest was made or not.

So with that been said, why are some supervisors obligating one of the parties to leave their own property in lieu of an arrest when the evidence is questionable due to conflicting statements or no physical evidence present? They are ignorant and scare to make decisions.

5. Why are officers covering wrongdoing? Do you think that there is an immunity blanket for the people in blue? Try again. You all need to stand up for what is right.

6. Do not make an arrest without conducting a proper investigation, get written statements from all witnesses, victims, and from suspects post miranda. Take your time, collect all of the evidence. If the dispatcher tells you to hurry, well you know where to send them. If your Sgt orders you to hurry, advise him that you are conducting the investigation and have not finish, if he orders you to disregard additional evidence, or collect statements from all parties, well, you need to document that in your report and now you have obstruction of justice charges on your supervisor.

7. Do not allow your self to be intimidated by anyone, any threats against you constitutes threats to a public servant.

8. Be smart and fight for your right until the end. No one else will fight for you.

Was not M. O. the solution? What a disgrace, for the Hialeah Police Department has the potential to be among Miami-Dade County’s best. Unfortunately for Hialeah taxpayers, the demagogues that govern Miami-Dade County’s second city don’t give a rat’s azz about properly equipping and competitively paying those who are the frontline against crime and disorder. If you can leave do it; do not hesitate. If not, mark your time as safely as possible, one day at a time and when you have the time to retire – FLEE!

The person who wrote the #1-8 statements is absolutely correct. This department is like a malignant cancer spreading to the bone. A lot of our officers are no different than the sh1tbirds they 39, and that is a shame. Unfortunately, we have supervisors, command staff, and politicians at 501 Palm Ave who really couldn't give a flying 747 f*ck about the officers who really try to do the job the right way.

Honesty is the rarest wealth anyone can possess, and yet all the honesty in the world ain't lawful tender for a loaf of bread. :cop:

1. MO has not and will not do anything the mayor doesn't tell him to do. Has he come out against anything the city has done? Has he done anything to improve morale besides making a few commanders happy?
A. A fair ED policy?
B. Increase ED rates?
C. Officially rescind the ticket/arrest quotas?
2. Other cities are looking at Hialeah with great interest. Why should they pay more or give more benefits to their people if Hialeah can function for less? Look at the departments that are now working without a contract. The cancer analogy is right on but its spreading to other departments as well. Officers at other agencies should take notice. But as long as there are those who will settle for less, nothing will improve.
3. The statement that Hialeah has the potential to become the best is inaccurate in that Hialeah once was the best and has sunk to its current state due to the policies of RM and JR over the past twenty plus years. It wasn't broke in a day and it won't be fixed anytime soon either.
4. At this point any HPD officer who aspires to work for a professional police agency in South Florida should be looking elsewhere. The ones who don't...get what they deserve...Less!

PS: OMG you still have Tandy computers?????!!!!!?????

I am sooooooooooooooooooo glad I left, its been a year since I left and every time I bumped into a former co worker they have such a depressed and sad look on there face, and here I go going on and on about how I am loving my new department.

You guys really need to wake up and smell the cuban coffee, it ain't going to get any better, you can complain, moan and groan all you want, you ain't getting take homes, raises and better benefits cause at the end of the day you work for hialeah!! These days saying you work for them is like saying you work for indians!!!!

For god sakes TK left, that should be a big hint!!!!