NCJ Number
211400
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 32 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2005 Pages: 128,130-134,136,138,139
Date Published
September 2005
Length
9 pages
Annotation
This article describes the work of the various units and bureaus of the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD).
Abstract
The MDPD bomb squad has the challenge of being prepared to deal with suspicious packages that may contain chemical, biological, and nuclear armaments, as these new potential threats have come to the fore since the September 11th terrorist attacks. Suicide bombings are also a concern of the bomb squad, since this is a frequent means for terrorists to deliver explosives to their targets. MDPD's 37-member Special Response Team (SRT) is a full-time unit whose most common task is to serve high-risk search warrants; however, it is also trained to respond to terrorist incidents and other crises that require a response by specially trained officers. MDPD's Crime Scene Investigations Bureau performs technical functions in investigations, such as fingerprint identification, crime-scene processing, and forensic imaging. The MDPD Crime Laboratory Bureau services the greater unincorporated Miami-Dade County area. One of the main tasks of this bureau is the management of collection, analysis, and storage of DNA profiles. The bureau continuously compares its DNA database to DNA collected in unsolved crimes throughout the State. To date, the testing program has produced more than 1,100 "hits." The Property and Evidence Bureau is responsible for the security, storage, protection, and legal disposition of found, recovered, and evidentiary property. Training is an emphasis throughout the department, starting with basic training that involves four to five 41-week programs each year. Specialized training sections manage in-service training and training for policing tasks that require distinctive knowledge and skills. The MDPD aims to provide a total learning environment that employs instructors who are both experienced in the field and in state-of-the-art training techniques.