Hialeah Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Hialeah Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency serving the City of Hialeah, Florida. Their jurisdiction lies within the actual city limits
of Hialeah, but have mutual aid agreements with neighboring police departments, most importantly the county-wide
Miami-Dade Police Department
. The current Chief of Police is Chief Mark N. Overton.
The Crimes Persons Section
The Crimes Property Section
The Family & Juvenile Section
Special Investigations Section (S.I.S.)
An outstanding act in the line of duty that places an officers life in imminent hazard and the officer has full knowledge of the risk involved. Actions taken above and beyond the call of duty. May be awarded to all officers killed in the line of duty.
An individual act, showing personal valor, where the officer places himself at imminent personal risk, usually involving an armed adversary.
An award recognizing an officers involvement in combat with an armed adversary, where the officer acts in a credible manner.
An award recognizing a wound inflicted intentionally on an officer, by an armed adversary.
A highly commendable accomplishment under adverse conditions with some degree of hazard to the officer or where death or injury to a third party is prevented.
An act performed in the line of duty which through disregard of personal safety or prompt or alert action, results in saving a life.
A creditable act in the line of duty which meets some but not all of the requirements of the other awards. It is unusual in nature, showing initiative and accomplishment.
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An award recognizing the introduction of a new method., procedure, policy, technique or device which is adopted for use by the Department which improves administrative procedures.
An award recognizing the development of a new Training Program or technique, or the significant improvement of an existing one which adopted for use by the Department.
An award recognizing an employee who has created, developed or significantly improved Technical Support Programs within the Department. To include contributions of a technical nature that would normally have required the Department to seek outside assistance.
An award recognizing s Supervisor who consistently exhibits outstanding leadership and managerial qualities: to include all supervisory ranks and classifications of both sworn and non-sworn personnel.
An award recognizing four years of faithful and diligent service to the Department. To be eligible, an officer must have received no more than one written reprimand and no suspensions during a four year period.
A service award recognizing an officers tactical deployment outside the City limits, providing support to another Law Enforcement Agency, under the Mutual Aid Pact. To be eligible, an officer's deployment must be in excess of 1/2 of a shift.
A service award recognizing Departmental personnel who serve during a time of Crisis or Disaster, officially declared by the Chief of Police.
All Departmental members who have served in one of the United States Military Services and who received an Honorable Discharge are entitled to wear this ribbon with their Departmental Awards.
City limits
The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...
of Hialeah, but have mutual aid agreements with neighboring police departments, most importantly the county-wide
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
Miami-Dade Police Department
Miami-Dade Police Department
The Miami-Dade Police Department , formerly known as the Metro-Dade County Police Department , Dade County Public Safety Department and the Dade County Sheriff's Office is a Limited Service County Police Department serving Miami-Dade County, Florida's unincorporated areas, although they have...
. The current Chief of Police is Chief Mark N. Overton.
Demographics
Breakdown of the makeup of the rank and file of the Hialeah Police Department-
- Male: 89%
- Female: 11%
- Hispanic: 63%
- African-American/Black: 7%
- White: 29%
Organization
The Chief of Police leads the Hialeah Police Department. The Chief of Police manages the department with the assistance of four Majors responsible for the following Divisions:- Office of the Chief - Project Management and Staff Inspection: Major Phillip Bidart
- Criminal Investigations Division: Major James Somohano
- Uniform Patrol Division / Special Events: Major Raleigh Flowers
- Administration / Professional Compliance Bureau: Major Miguel De La Rosa
Uniform Patrol Division
The Uniform Patrol Division is overseen by Uinform Patrol Division Major Raleigh Flowers. There are five (5) Patrol Districts each overseen by a District Commander. As of September 2010, the Districts are overseen by the following Commanders:- District 1 - Commander Rafael Nazario
- District 2 - Commander Oscar Amago
- District 3 - Commander Kimberly Warren
- District 4 - Commander Urbano Dieppa
- District 5 - Commander Mauricio Escarra
The Crime Suppression Section
The Crime Suppression Section is overseen by Commander Oscar Amago and consists of the following units:- Community Enhancement Unit (CEU)
- Community Response Team (CRT)
- Crime Suppression Team (CST)
- SWAT
- K-9 Unit
- Traffic Homicide Unit
- Motor Unit
- Bicycle Unit
Criminal Investigations Division
The Criminal Investigations Division (C.I.D.) is overseen by Major James Somohano. The Division consists of four (4) Sections, each supervised by their respective section Lieutenants:The Crimes Persons Section
- Homicide Unit
- Robbery Unit
The Crimes Property Section
- Burglary Unit
- Pawn Shop Unit
- Auto Theft Unit
- Economic Crimes Unit
- Organized Fraud Unit
The Family & Juvenile Section
- Sexual Predator Unit
- Domestic Violence Unit
- Special Victim's Unit
Special Investigations Section (S.I.S.)
- Narcotics Unit
- M.O.S.T. (Multiple Offender Suveillance Team)
- Gang Unit
The Training Division
The Training Division is overseen by Commander Sergio Velasquez and consists of the following entities:- Police Academy Training Advisor
- Rangemaster
Ranks and Insignia
Hialeah Police Department sworn personnel with the rank of Officer wear a silver badge on their uniform. Detectives wear gold badges. Officers assigned as Detectives wear gold badges while performing Detective duties, however they must wear their silver Officer badge whenever in full uniform. The ranks of Sergeant through Chief of Police wear gold badges. Rank insignia for Sergeant is worn on the upper sleeves below the shoulder patch while rank insignia for Lieutenant through Chief is worn on the collars of the shirt.| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police Chief of police A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable... |
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| Deputy Chief Chief of police A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable... |
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| Major Major Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ... |
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| Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
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| Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant.... |
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| Lieutenant |  |
| Sergeant |  |
| Police Officer Police officer A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force... |
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Officers killed in the line of duty
Since the establishment of the Hialeah Police Department, three officers have died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Officer Hugo Becker | Automobile Accident | |
| Officer Emilio Miyares | Gunfire | |
| Sergeant Pedro Cainas | Gunfire |
Awards, medals and ribbons
The Hialeah Police Department recognizes its members through commendations and subsequent medals and / or ribbons where merited. The Gold Medal of Valor and Silver Medal of Valor are worn under the police badge on a police uniform. Awarded ribbons are worn over the name plate of the right breast. The following is a list of the medals / ribbons:- GOLD MEDAL OF VALOR:
An outstanding act in the line of duty that places an officers life in imminent hazard and the officer has full knowledge of the risk involved. Actions taken above and beyond the call of duty. May be awarded to all officers killed in the line of duty.
- SILVER MEDAL OF VALOR"
An individual act, showing personal valor, where the officer places himself at imminent personal risk, usually involving an armed adversary.
- COMBAT CROSS:
- PURPLE HEART:
- DISTINGUISHED SERVICE:
- LIFE SAVING:
- MERITORIOUS:
- OFFICER OF THE YEAR:
- OFFICER OF THE QUARTER:
- OFFICER OF THE MONTH:
- ADMINISTRATIVE EXCELLENCE
- OUTSTANDING TRAINING CONTRIBUTION:
- OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT:
- OUTSTANDING SUPERVISOR:
An award recognizing s Supervisor who consistently exhibits outstanding leadership and managerial qualities: to include all supervisory ranks and classifications of both sworn and non-sworn personnel.
- GOOD CONDUCT:
- HIALEAH POLICE EXPEDITIONARY:
A service award recognizing an officers tactical deployment outside the City limits, providing support to another Law Enforcement Agency, under the Mutual Aid Pact. To be eligible, an officer's deployment must be in excess of 1/2 of a shift.
- EMERGENCY MOBILIZATION SERVICE:
A service award recognizing Departmental personnel who serve during a time of Crisis or Disaster, officially declared by the Chief of Police.
- NATIONAL DEFENSE RIBBON:
The Gold Medal of Valor
Previous Gold Medal of Valor recipients:- Officer Julian Guerra
- Officer Osvaldo Rodriguez
- Sergeant Michael Letizia (Retired)
- Lieutenant Puglisi (Retired)
- Crime Scene Tech Jim Olson (Retired)
The Silver Medal of Valor
Previous Silver Medal of Valor recipients:- Officer Robert Hasmi
- Sergeant Theresa Pierce
- Officer Ernesto Clavijo