Miami Lifts Police Department Hiring Freeze
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The City of Miami Police Department is now looking for a few good men and women after it lifted a 2-year hiring freeze.
According to CBS4 News partner the Miami Herald, the move opens the door to begin screening applicants for about 55 vacancies. The department also will be able to promote current officers to sergeant positions.
The hiring freeze was lifted Thursday after top police officials met with Miami City Commissioners on Thursday. Commissioners wanted to know why the department hadn't hired anyone for open positions even though the money had been budgeted.
Interim Police Chief Manuel Orosa said the freeze had been the biggest obstacle to bolstering the police force. City Manager Johnny Martinez lifted the freeze on police hires on Oct. 20, though the ban is still in place in the rest of Miami.
The city has recently hired 13 officers, with three more coming on board soon. That leaves 55 openings that Miami will work to fill in batches.
For the first round, the department has requested to hire 21 more cops and 10 recruits.
Some of those jobs will be filled with police officers already certified by the state. Other jobs will go to recruits who have to undergo six months of training.
If you're interested in a job on the Miami police force, be prepared to wait. The department already has two lists of recruit applicants — dating back to 2008 and 2009. The lists were caught up in the hiring freeze and the city has to give those applicants first priority, if they're still interested in joining the force.
In addition to hiring new officers, the lift of the freeze will allow the department to promote existing officers to seven vacant sergeant positions. Dozens of officers have taken the necessary tests to qualify for the promotion but have not been able to move up the ranks. Instead, current sergeants have been doing extra work, such as overseeing two squads instead of one.
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