It’s been two years since the North Miami Police Department has received any new vehicles. The quest to upgrade its fleet has been difficult at best.
On April 16, 2015, the city put out a new Invitation To Bid Police Vehicle Leasing ITB 20-03-15 “seeking the lease of two (2) Ford Transit 250, six (6) 2015 Ford Sedan Police Interceptor and forty two (42) 2015 Ford Utility Police Interceptor.”
According to Florida Statute 287.057(1)(a) Invitation to bid, “The invitation to bid shall be used when the agency is capable of specifically defining the scope of work for which a contractual service is required or when the agency is capable of establishing precise specifications defining the actual commodity or group of commodities required.” Subsection 287.057(1)(a)1.a. also specifies that the ITB must include a “detailed description of the commodities or contractual services sought.”
The winner of the bid, Bancorp Bank, “was selected by City administration as the most responsive-responsible bidder,” according to a Resolution passed by the Mayor and Council on July 14, 2015.
For some unexplained reason, however, even though the bid specifically included a “detailed description” for a total of 50 vehicles, the Resolution only provided for 25 vehicles, half the amount listed in the Invitation To Bid.
I have been advised by legal counsel that changing a bid after it’s been accepted is illegal.
But, this is North Miami, after all. So there’s that.
In any event, however, suffice it to say that the North Miami Police Department is in desperate need of cars.
At the Special Budget Meeting held September 21, 2015, the minutes reflect a discussion among the council members beginning on page 21 regarding the number of police cars the city can afford to lease, as opposed to spending the money on other areas in the city.
On page 24, Councilman Bien-Aime acknowledged, “As a responsible person, I don’t want to say…and we understand that the Police do need cars. And I see that on the street. And in two different occasions it seems like it’s a must.”
On page 26, Councilman Galvin stated, “We did spend a million dollars in 2013. How many cars did we purchase then? Does anybody know off the top of their head? And did those cars go to upper management or were they squad cars on the street?”
Then-Deputy City Manager Arthur Sorey responded, “All of the cars did go to the majority of the Command Staff and Sergeants. I believe there’s a couple of cars that were on the street but no…the significant amount was for Command Staff and upper management sir.”
Mr. Sorey also mentioned that 23 of the 25 vehicles already “being purchased … are road vehicles,” to which Mr. Galvin responded, “That would be my opinion because I thought if the brass just got a lot of fancy SUVs, it’s time for the guys on the street and women on the street to get their squad cars.”
I wonder if Councilman Galvin is aware that one of NMPD’s “brass” did, in fact, get one of those “fancy SUVs” in 2013.
I wonder if he’s also aware that this member of the “brass” is actually a civilian.
Despite the fact that “Police Administrator” Jorge Manresa is not a certified police officer, and has not been since 2005 when his license expired, Police Chief Leonard Burgess treats him as though he’s an official member of the Executive Command Staff.
Seriously.
And he is also assigned a take home police vehicle.
To the tune of $23,248.25 to be exact.
But, wait. There’s MORE!
Despite the fact that the police department at first denied that “Mr. Manresa’s vehicle is not a fully equipped police vehicle,” that appears not to be the case. His was one of eight SUVs that were each equipped with a police package, including lights and sirens, at a cost of $1,815.00 per vehicle.
Bringing the total cost of Mr. Manresa’s POLICE EQUIPPED vehicle up to a whopping $25,063.25.
And, yet, while North Miami residents are clamoring for more police presence, “the guys on the street and women on the street,” as Councilman Galvin so aptly put it, are dealing with a shortage of squad cars.
I have already verified with the North Miami Police Department that the police emergency equipment in Mr. Manresa’s police vehicle has never been removed. While it is not illegal for a CIVILIAN to drive a vehicle equipped with lights and sirens, it most certainly is against the law for one to use that equipment.
In fact, Jorge Manresa is the only CIVILIAN employed by the North Miami Police Department who has been issued a take home police vehicle fitted with police emergency equipment. (Note: Crisis Intervention Specialist Natacha Jean Francois drives a 2004 Chevy Trailblazer without emergency equipment.)
This vehicle – and its expensive emergency equipment – is in the possession of a CIVILIAN when it could, and should, be used for official police business by an actual police officer.
As it stands, Mr. Manresa is authorized to drive his “fancy SUV” all day, every day, regardless of whether he is in the City of North Miami or not. Would anyone be the wiser if he decided to switch on the police lights or siren to help him navigate a traffic jam on the way home from work?
Just saying.
Obviously, no one is babysitting him to make sure he behaves. But maybe somebody should.
Although Police Chief Leonard Burgess treats the “Police Administrator” with all the respect accorded a high ranking police official, Jorge Manresa’s unofficial – but actual – title is “Budget Dude.”
As a Class 736/Pay Grade 31 civil service employee, he is eligible for a base pay between $54,652 and $81,024. I learned that his salary is at the top of the pay scale.
Mr. Manresa does not have an employment contract with the City of North Miami, and his benefit package does not include the use of a take home vehicle. This $25,000.00 “perk,” and the cost to insure it, was gifted to him at the sole discretion of Chief Leonard Burgess.
Courtesy of North Miami taxpayers.
I’m not quite sure why Mr. Manresa is entitled to a take home car at all, much less a police vehicle with emergency equipment. Such vehicles are usually assigned to employees whose jobs require them to be available for duty, if needed, around the clock. I can’t imagine that a bean counter would be on call 24/7, but apparently Chief Lenny believes otherwise.
Then again, he’s not paying for it. It’s easy to be generous with other people’s money.
Although Mr. Manresa has not been a certified police officer for over ten years, he still gets to hang out at Chief Lenny’s Boys Will Be Boys Club on the fourth floor penthouse of the police department. Perhaps the frat boy camaraderie gives him a certain nostalgia for the Cocaine Cowboy era in the 1980s when he was a City of Miami cop.
In fact, then-Sergeant Jorge Luis Manresa and his buddy, Officer George Lopez, made national headlines when they were arrested and charged with five counts of conspiracy and civil rights violations on October 6, 1986.
Although neither Manresa nor Lopez were among the seven Officers Called Crooks by federal prosecutors, according to an October 7, 1986 Sun Sentinel article, it did mention two Miami cops who “were indicted on charges of shooting into the home of convicted drug dealer Carlos Quesada in 1982. One shot hit a short distance from Quesada`s infant son, Carlos, agents said.”
A Miami Herald article published May 7, 2000, Police chief was FBI target, is a MUST READ. The piece about “a failed 1980s federal corruption probe of Miami Police,” also mentioned an FBI memo about “four Miami officers [who] fired gunshots randomly into Quesada’s home … Two of the officers, Jorge Manresa and Jorge Lopez, were charged in the shooting, but the charges were dismissed mid-trial by U.S. District Judge James Lawrence King. King did not rule whether the officers had fired the shots or not, but he said that even if they had fired them, the prosecution had failed to prove they did so in their official capacities — something that had to be proved for them to be convicted under the civil rights charges that had been brought.”
What a gem of a guy.
Considering his Blazing Saddles adventures at the City of Miami Police Department, it probably gives the Budget Dude of the NMPD a thrill to be behind the wheel of a “fancy SUV,” equipped with police lights and sirens.
Just like a real cop.
And maybe one day, the NMPD will be run just like a real police department.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
Jorge Manresa has been given all the clout of a top ranking police executive as long as he’s been at North Miami. He comes and goes as he pleases, gets his nice expensive car, works in the executive offices and rubs elbows with the chief and staff. He’s been taught that he’s a top dog instead of a foot soldier and that’s how he acts. Manresa plays with the budget and reports what the chief wants to hear. That’s why he’s there so he can grease the wheels for ol Lenny B.
Must be nice to have a city “paid for” car and not be a member of the police department. How can they get away with this crazy stuff? Jail time for someone…
How do you set a contract for ‘bid” and change the item without starting all over again? Now they want to be sued!
Fake cops only care about that ! How to have a nice gig, make some good salary and dont care about anything else, but in the end is all our fault because we keep electing the same piece of garbage politicians ! Put pressure on the politicians and cops that they must take criminals out of the streets, but we dont do it !we dont back up real cops ! Big mistake ! The city and the country is going to be destroyed until political correctness is taken away ! There a few cops that want to arrest criminals but politicians dont back them up and is all helping the destruction of the country ! Big time fixing we need !
And the same crap keeps on happening and NOBODY gives a damn. It’s pathetic that people keep moving into North Miami and don’t know anything about where their outrageous taxes are going for. But then again, they aren’t reading this! The east side supports about 75% of the city and they don’t ask the important questions before purchasing. Stupid!!!!!
It the same players all the time. I was once told by a female officer that she have sex with as many supervisors as she can, that way she controls them. She said that by doing that she is guaranteed that they will take care of her for her entire career. She said that they will always cover for her if she does any wrong doings, and that they will also help her to become one of them by giving out the answers to promotional exams. She said they do that because they want more sex and that they live in fear if they don’t watch my back I will file a complaint of sexual harassment. She said that even though this group had the smallest packages she has seen, and that the sexual encounter was the worst like being with a virgins she puts up with it anyway because it enhances her career and she becomes one of the elite’s in the club. I say to her WOW are you for real, and she reply absolutely it’s the only way to get promoted and in the club in North Miami.
Manresa was brought to the NMPD by former Chief Boyd. The same former chief who created Juriga and Johnson. And what gems they have turned out to become. The staff didn’t have a Hispanic so she brought Manresa. Manresa does the job an Administrative Major used to do. He’s the “budget guy” but he’s treated like an Assistant Chief. The man is as dumb as they come. He’s called Willy Wonka because he fudges the numbers for Burgess. And now he gets a police car. He’s nothing but a has been cop, with a felonious shady arrest past, who has no business working in a police department, driving a police car, with access to sensitive information.
I was sent this link so I could have a good laugh. I worked with Jorge years ago. He never did anything worth a damn as an officer and he only got promoted because he was a huge ass kisser. Jorge didn’t have it to make it on the street as a cop. He’s five feet tall and scared as hell if anyone who looked at him sideways. He had to become a paper pusher just to make it to retirement. It’s nice to see Jorgie is still at his old tricks. You go buddy, just kiss away because that ass stink is never coming off your mouth at this rate .
Well it’s the holiday season and all I see is nothing but horrible talk thrown at the North Miami Police Administration. Well I will take a moment to say a couple of kind and encouraging wrods about them. Ahhh, well let’s move on because I can’t think any good things to say about the administration. I mean how can one counter all the corruption, incompetence, bafoonery, and sexual harassment/activity going on. But I do appologize because not everyone in the administration is like that. I met at least one Major that is not, and could turn this ship arround if he were Chief. But city hall doesn’t seem to want that, they want a puppet like Burgess to manipulate. So lets all go celebrate the holidays knowing that we probably will not get that holiday gift of a new chief that is so desperately needed.
I come long way to vist frend in No Miami. i visit here a lot and it very desturbing to mi all the problems i hear about crime and the police chief. just yesterday i drive down the street and hear bout lots of robbery, shootings, stabbings, and now i hear about the corruption in the police administration. i tell you i very scare, i fear for me and i fear even more for you the natives that live here. at lest i leave and go back to mi country but you have to stay and do battle here. with all the ret ric i hear and see i feal like i in a third world country like mi own. dat very sad to me because i spect this city and dis country so much. i deeply saddened by what i see haffening here. i wish all of the natives here a best luck to fight dis eruption and to take back you city from those evil force that is occupy it. Gd bless
I have to give it to some people. At least they maintain their sense of humor while stuck working for the corrupt bunch. I guess you have to laugh because if you think about it too much the only option is to cry. What’s become of of our once beautiful North Miami? Destroyed by the likes of corrupt Andre Pierre, Kevin Burns, Art Sorrey, Lenny Burgess and others in their circle.
How about the cars they park all over the city , cars collecting dust and rotting away ! Instead of putting officers in the them to help out ! I always see a brand new Dodge Charger with a pink breast cancer paint job or wrap all over and the officers drive the crap cars around. Wonder how much this car cost ? How about the large eye on the community truck with light and decals parked around ! Sad to have officers driving old 2005 crown Vic’s with 150-200k miles and the administration has brand new Tahoes and Suburbans every month to use whenever they feel like it. Officers have to pay for their vehicles to take it home and can only go to and from work with it unlike other agency’s who can use it all the time!