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Committee reviews four-option safety plan for BayWalk, refers options to full commission
Summary
Police presented four staffing models for long-term safety on the BayWalk, including two dedicated officers, private security, park rangers, or a hybrid; the committee asked staff to send Option 1 and a hybrid option to the full commission for discussion.
Police proposed four staffing options for the BayWalk during a committee meeting and the committee forwarded the options to the full city commission for further discussion.
Captain Lozano of the Miami Beach Police Department described the departmentrecommendation for Option 1, a dedicated two-officer assignment covering the BayWalk on a swing-shift schedule (for example 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.), with an estimated combined starting salary of about $144,000.
"That option would be a potential cost of a starting salary combined of 144,000," Captain Lozano said. He added sworn officers provide enforcement abilities beyond those of unarmed park rangers and private security and cited enforcement, investigations and public-safety benefits from sworn presence.
Committee members expressed fiscal concern and discussed lower-cost alternatives including private security or park rangers and hybrid staffing (a mix of sworn officers and non-sworn personnel). Commissioner Alex Fernandez said he preferred sworn officers but accepted exploring hybrids to control cost.
The committee directed staff to send the proposal and options to the full commission for discussion, asking commissioners there to consider Option 1 and hybrid alternatives and whether the city should fund new positions or reassign existing personnel. The discussion noted the city's current officer shortage and that sworn staffing additions would require budget or reallocation decisions by the Commission.
