Everyone can play a role right now in creating real, organized, and systemic change by asking the County Commission and Mayor Carlos Giminez to implement, fully fund and support civilian oversight of Miami-Dade Police Department, by signing this petition.

Clearly, now is the time to urge the mayor to stand by his word and to help usher in a proactive measure that will help eliminate officer misconduct in our communities. There is a coalition of 26 community organizations* unified by this common goal of ensuring civilian oversight is available to all Miami-Dade residents. But, it’s important not to have "any old kind" of oversight.  We need effective oversight that is independent and possess the tools necessary to be effective. Below are the elements that effective oversight in Miami-Dade County demands:

• 13 panel members, chosen from each County district, after vetting by a nominating committee, plus one non-voting police representative;

• professional staff, trained in police procedures, with independent director and independent legal counsel;

• secure, adequate funding;

• subpoena power, in accordance with law;

• available for use/participation by all municipalities in the County;

• authorized to investigate complaints against police and review internal affairs decisions;

• authorized to conduct alternative dispute resolution to allow complainants and officers to resolve complaints outside the disciplinary process;

• authorized to study, review and report on police policies, procedures and patterns of behavior. 

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*The 26 organizations (in alphabetical order) are: ACLU of Miami; Brownsville Civic Neighborhood Assoc.; Catalyst; Community Justice Project; COSMOS; Dream Defenders; Equality Florida; FANM; FLIC; HAGC; Latino Justice; MCCJ; NAACP (Miami-Dade and South Dade Branches); N.A.N.A.; New Florida Majority; NLG of South Florida; Power U; PULSE; S.A.L.A.D; SAVE; South Florida People of Color; TAP; Temple Beth Sholom Miami Beach; Unity Coalition; UP-PAC; Wilkie Ferguson Jr. Bar Association