Hialeah Police Department

Hialeah Police Department
Abbreviation	HPD
Agency overview
Formed	1925
Annual budget	38.8 Million
Legal personality	Governmental: Government agency
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction*	City of Hialeah in the state of Florida, USA
Map of Hialeah Police Department's jurisdiction.
Size	23 square miles (60 km2)
Population	217,141 (2006)
General nature	Law enforcement Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	5555 E. 8 Avenue, Hialeah, FL
Police Officers	300
Civilians	150
Agency executive	Sergio Velazquez, Chief of Police
Sectorss	5
Website
Hialeah Police Department
Footnotes
* Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction.

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.

As of 2010, the Hialeah Police Department is the 89th largest Police Department in the United States

The current Chief of Police is Chief Sergio Velazquez.

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 three Majors responsible for the following Divisions:

• Criminal Investigations Division: Major Hubert Ruiz
• Uniform Patrol Division: Major Manuel Rodriguez
• Professional Compliance Bureau: Major George Fuente

Uniform Patrol Division

The Uniform Patrol Division is overseen by Uniform Patrol Division Major Manuel Rodriguez. There are six (6) Patrol Districts each overseen by a District Commander. As of March 2013, the Districts are overseen by the following Commanders:

• District 1 - Commander Fernando Villa
• District 2 - Commander Rudy Bello
• District 3 - Commander Gabriel Gonzalez
• District 4 - Commander Luis Lahera
• District 5 - Commander Orlando Salvat

The Crime Suppression Section

The Crime Suppression Section is overseen by Commander Ernesto Gutierrez and consists of the following units:

• Community Enhancement Unit (CEU)
• Community Response Team (CRT)
• Crime Suppression Team (CST)
• Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT)
• SWAT
• K-9 Unit
• Motor Unit
• Bicycle Unit

Criminal Investigations Division

The Criminal Investigations Division (CID) is overseen by Major Hubert Ruiz. The Division consists of four (4) Sections, each supervised by their respective section Lieutenants:

The Crimes Persons Section

• Homicide Unit
• Robbery Unit
• Traffic Homicide Investigations 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 Victims Unit

The Special Investigations Section (SIS)

• Narcotics Unit
• Intelligence Unit

The Professional Compliance Bureau, Support Services and Training Division

This Section is overseen by Major George Fuente and consists of the following entities:

• Professional Compliance Bureau (Internal Affairs)
• Support Services
• Records
• 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
Deputy Chief
Major
Commander
Captain
Lieutenant
Sergeant
Police Officer

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	Saturday, June 25, 1966	Automobile Accident
Officer Emilio Miyares	Thursday, November 6, 1986	Gunfire
Sergeant Pedro Cainas	Thursday, November 19, 1992	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 officer's life in imminent hazard and the officer has full knowledge of the risk involved. The actions clearly display conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of the officer's life 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:

An award recognizing an officers involvement in combat with an armed adversary, where the officer acts in a credible manner.

• PURPLE HEART:

An award recognizing a wound inflicted intentionally on an officer, by an armed adversary.

• DISTINGUISHED SERVICE:

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.

• LIFE SAVING:

An act performed in the line of duty which through disregard of personal safety or prompt or alert action, results in saving a life.

• MERITORIOUS:

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.

• OFFICER OF THE YEAR:

Self-explanatory.

• OFFICER OF THE QUARTER:

Self-explanatory.

• OFFICER OF THE MONTH:

Self-explanatory.

• UNIT CITATION:

Awarded to a Unit in the Department that performs an act, or a series of acts, over a period of time, which demonstrate a high degree of teamwork and professionalism. These acts result in the attainment of departmental goals.

• ADMINISTRATIVE EXCELLENCE

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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.

• OUTSTANDING TRAINING CONTRIBUTION:

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.

• OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT:

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.

• OUTSTANDING SUPERVISOR:

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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:

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.

• 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:

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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:

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.

• EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT RIBBON:

All Departmental members who have achieved a degree from an Accredited College and / or University.

The Gold Medal of Valor

Previous Gold Medal of Valor recipients

• Sergeant Yan Perez
• Sergeant Luis Garcia
• Sergeant Andrew Lopez-Cao
• Sergeant Fernando Montalvo (Retired)
• Officer Richard Quintero
• Officer Mark Quinlan (Retired)
• Officer Nicholas Lopez
• Officer Adrian Gonzalez
• Sergeant Barbaro Hernandez
• Officer Louis Hererra
• Detective Rei Carvajal
• Sergeant Jose Proveyer
• Sergeant Julian Guerra (Retired)
• Detective Osvaldo Rodriguez (Retired)
• Sergeant Michael Letizia (Retired)
• Crime Scene Tech Jim Olson (Retired)
• Lieutenant Joseph Puglise (Retired)
• Detective Richard Kelly (Retired)

The Silver Medal of Valor

Previous Silver Medal of Valor recipients

• Officer Azael Acay
• Sergeant Ernesto Clavijo
• Detective Noel Torres (Retired)
• Officer Robert Hasmi (Retired)
• Sergeant Theresa Pierce (Retired)
• Lieutenant Joseph Puglise (Retired)
• Detective Guillermo "Willie" Perez (Retired)
• Sergeant Victor Anchipolovsky (Retired)
• Officer Rogelio Hernandez, Sr. (Retired)
• Sergeant Terell Duke (Retired)
• Officer Antonio Llaneras (Retired)
• Sergeant Steven Lublinski (Retired)
• Officer Kenneth Povenzano (Retired)
• Sergeant John Gerry (Retired)
• Deputy Chief Edward Beyer (Retired - Two Time Recipient)
• Officer Richard Burton (Retired)
• Detective Charles Corton (Retired)
• Officer Robert Czipulis (Retired)
• Sergeant George Deprado (Retired)
• Captain Martin Farraher (Retired)
• Sergeant Arnold Finley (Retired)
• Sergeant Kent Hart (Retired - Three Time Recipient)
• Lieutenant Jorge Hierro (Retired)
• Lieutenant Barry Krane (Retired)
• Sergeant Steven Lublinski (Retired)
• Lieutenant Daniel Magill (Retired)
• Officer Thomas McGrath (Retired)
• Officer Elio Oliva (Retired)
• Officer Mario Pena (Retired)
• Officer Kenneth Provenzano (Retired)
• Sergeant John Sabia (Retired)
• Officer Arthur Simon (Retired - Two Time Recipient)
• Officer Rudy Toth (Retired)
• Lieutenant Humberto Valdes (Retired)
• Sergeant William O'Connell (Retired)
• Officer Rolando A. Bolanos
• Officer Jorge Ruiz

External links

• Hialeah Police Department official website