Miami-Dade Police Lay Off 118 Officers As Mayor Balances Budget

For the first time, Miami-Dade Police have had to layoff more than 100 officers after Mayor Carlos Gimenez and police unions failed to come to an agreement about benefits.

The 118 officers and 17 correctional officers were let go based on seniority and not performance. They will leave the police force in three weeks.

Miami-Dade Police Director James Loftus spoke at Miami Dade police headquarters in Doral on Saturday. Addressing concerns that less police could mean less security for Miami-Dade residents, Loftus said:

"Our business is that when people call, we go. We don't make widgets; we can't close the doors. It doesn't work that way. We will always have to go. Some of the units that work this building will be compressed. Some of them will be eliminated."

Loftus reiterated to Chanel 10 that violent crime will always be their top priority: "We'll be doing less of the things we like to do -- things that the community like us to do: crime prevention things, community service things, some property crime things. Because our commitment will be suppressing and solving violent crime. That's always first."

Laid-off officers do have concerns that a smaller police force will have an effect on Miami neighborhoods. Ryan Cowart, one of the officers laid off, told WSV7N, "I don't think there's any question it will be in jeopardy. I'm very, very concern that any loss of police services in that community will have catastrophic effects." Watch the rest of the WSVN7 report below.

NBC Miami reports that when a reporter asked Loftus if response time to burglary calls would be affected by the layoffs, the police director answered, "It could take longer, yes. Because that is a property crime and that is something we may face."

At a January 24 meeting, Gimenez, county commissioners, and the Dade Police Benevolent Association will have one more chance to reach an agreement that may save these officers' jobs. The Miami Herald reports that Gimenez will urge union members to contribute 5 percent of their salary towards their benefits.

Comments

[Grimway]

04:13 AM on 01/18/2012

After watching everyone else get laid off, Foreclosures, OWS?? Karma.

[Donald J Sullivan]

06:33 PM on 01/15/2012

Are they kidding response time!!!!.... you ever see them stop to write a ticket they have 5 cars minimum! Efficiency does not meet effectiveness in Florida.

[calltoaction]

05:20 PM on 01/15/2012

hey look! i have no debt - but i live under a bridge... way to go Miami! protect the rich from taxes over the common good.

[M1ke 123]

12:58 PM on 01/15/2012

Police are a very important part of our lives and I don't mean this to be rude or disrespectful. But, laid off for the first time in his life. Welcome to America. I wish everytime I was laid off I was offered a pay cut. Most people in this country can't count how many times they have been laid off, but still had to pay those taxes. I due consider myself fortunate after a year of being unemployed I got a job paying 13k less then what I made before and it has health insurance which I pay a little over $100 a month.

[calltoaction]

05:22 PM on 01/15/2012

tax the rich, avoid the layoffs.

[Mailman]

09:31 PM on 01/15/2012

Ya really hate those rich don't ya. So should D. Wade and Lebron James be taxed at about 75%?

[Tom Hn]

12:41 PM on 01/15/2012

Yeah, get a job in private security, the pay and benefits are much better. But you will have to work for it.

[susanbsbi]

11:53 AM on 01/15/2012

The Mayor and commissioners should have reduced their budgets, Miami losing police is very very very bad. This will effect the tourist industry as people will remember before, the robberies taking place near the airport at the gas stations when people were either picking up or returning rental cars. This will be great for the Alarm companies, except when there is a robbery the police still won't show up for days.

[Gonzo333]

10:51 AM on 01/15/2012

Good

[calltoaction]

05:24 PM on 01/15/2012

good for the rich who don't have to pay more in taxes and the criminals who will get away with more criminality.