Community-Oriented Investigation at the North

Miami Beach Police Department

By David Singh

One can’t help but like Ron

Friedman and his dedication

to helping others. He said he

can’t remember a time when he didn’t

have a strong sense of right and

wrong. That’s why he didn’t flinch

when he was approached by drug

smugglers while working in an airport

in the 1970s. The smugglers wanted

to stow their drugs in the gasoline

barrels he used to refuel airplanes.

Friedman turned them in and worked

with the police to bring them to justice. It was then that he realized he

wanted to join the police force, eventually becoming a homicide detective

in the North Miami Beach Police

Department (NMBPD). Because homicide investigations are among the

most sensitive and important functions of a police department, the best

detectives are assigned to the homicide squad. Friedman was a good

detective. He liked the thrill of catching a lucky break on a case, he liked

being an elite among the elites, and,

most of all, he liked catching bad

guys and helping to put them away. 

In 1994, something happened in

NMBPD that changed the way the

entire department would conduct

Commander Friedman and Detective Schuster 

review notes in a police investigation.

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Assistance

April 2001

Onsite Visits, Case Histories, and State 

and Local Innovations Supported by erspectives the Bureau of Justice Assistance

ractitioner

Bulletin From the Field

police work. Police Chief William

Berger and his staff were designing

an innovative approach to investigations. As described in a proposal to

seed these changes, “the present-day

job description for a detective will be

replaced by a new role—the Major

Crime Problem-Solving Specialist.”

Friedman and his colleagues had little idea about the changes in store.

Over the next few years, the detective

functions of NMBPD would be transformed. At first, Friedman struggled

with his new role, but later he became

one of the department’s strongest

problem-solving advocates. 

The changes that took place in

NMBPD in the mid-1990s marked

the emergence of a new form of 

policing for the 21st century. This is

the story of that emergence, the conditions that led to its arrival in North

Miami Beach, and its evolution over

the next several years.
2

Bulletin From the Field: Practitioner Perspectives

This series is dedicated to the exploration of vital issues in criminal justice program development and management. Case studies highlight the work of progressive, innovative people and programs in state and local criminal

justice systems. Although a case study may include a detailed description of the operational aspects of a program,

it is not a scientific program evaluation. Rather, it is a document designed to explore the interaction of factors

such as collaboration, politics, resources, culture, and others that play a part in successful public management.

Community Policing

Hits North Miami

Beach

In 1994, problem solving was not a

new concept to NMBPD. As early as

1987, Chief Berger had sent officers

to Flint, Michigan, to visit the Flint

Police Department (FPD). At the

time, FPD was home to one of the

nation’s first explicitly designed 

community-oriented policing programs. There, NMBPD officers

learned about the value of decentralized community-oriented policing methods that emphasized 

neighborhood-based assignments,

use of proactive crime prevention

strategies, and development of 

problem-solving skills. Not long after,

NMBPD created its first communityoriented policing unit, designed

around the classic tenets of community policing.

The Hallowed

Detective?

“All was not well,” said NMBPD

Deputy Chief Linda Loizzo. “The addition of a community-oriented policing

unit to our force was a step in the right

direction, but the chief, I, and others

in the department recognized a problem in our detective squad. We had a

unit of prima donnas.” 

Friedman, now a commander in

charge of the investigations unit,

admitted, “We were like the country

club unit, segregated from the rest

of the department. We didn’t really

interact with one another and rarely

interacted with other units. We were

truly an island unto ourselves.”

However, haughty attitudes in the

investigations unit were not the crux

of the problem. Poor intradepartmental communication and a case-bycase approach to crime made it hard

to do good detective work. Friedman

acknowledged that these factors

made his work frustrating, because

detectives almost always had to rely

on getting a lucky break to solve a

case. Strategically analyzing crime

trends, seeking the community’s

help to solve cases, and sharing 

information within and among 

departments were all foreign concepts

at the time.

“We had to do something different,”

said Loizzo. “Internally, we were driven by the need for change in our

investigations unit. Externally, we

were driven by increases in crime.” 

Working with the chief and other senior officers, Loizzo helped devise a

plan that would shift investigation

work from a reactive to a proactive

model. With the aid of new technologies, new skills, and new organizational structures, the old-school

detective was to be replaced by a

new-generation problem solver. To

seed its transformation efforts,

NMBPD received a grant from the

Bureau of Justice Assistance.

Deputy Chief Loizzo and Chief Berger are the architects of North Miami Beach’s communityoriented policing initiative.
Community-Oriented Investigation at the North Miami Beach Police Department

3

Community

Investigating

The development of a communityoriented investigations unit did not

occur overnight. An integrated

approach to investigation required

the involvement of all units within

NMBPD. Accordingly, the department

set out to implement an approach that

would modify the policies and practices of the investigations unit and

the department at large.

Task Forces

To begin, a new investigative structure was designed that centered

around the development of integrated

major crime problem-solving task

forces. Six task forces were established: auto crimes (e.g., theft, burglary, and carjacking), gang and 

juvenile crimes, domestic and family

violence, robbery, vice, and economic

crimes. Detectives assumed new roles

as task force coordinators responsible

for providing leadership in identifying

major crime problems, arriving at solutions, coordinating task force efforts,

and training task force members.

The emergence of task forces in the

investigations unit marked two important shifts. First, detectives were now

expected to look more broadly at the

crime issues. Rather than working on

a case-by-case basis, a more strategic

and integrated approach to the control and prevention of crime was

adopted. That meant that detectives

could no longer wait for a lucky break

on a case. Now, a detective assigned

to the robbery task force is expected

to look beyond individual cases to

identification of robbery trends and

patterns. Moreover, detectives are

expected to investigate conditions that

led to commission of the robberies. 

Using this information, detectives can

view robberies as problems to solve

rather than as cases to crack. If a

neighborhood watch needs to be

started, detectives are expected to

work with the community and other

departmental units to do so. If streetlights need to be fixed, detectives are

expected to work with city services to

restore proper lighting. If a certain

neighborhood is being hit unusually

hard with crimes, detectives are

expected to work with the patrol unit

to beef up patrol in the area or work

with the gangs unit to determine

whether a gang is targeting the area.

Second, detectives are no longer

islands unto themselves. The development of task forces imposes a 

collaborative structure that forces

intra- and interdepartmental collaboration and collaborations with the

community and other city departments. For example, the Auto Crimes

Task Force consists of representatives

from other NMBPD units (e.g., the

community policing unit), the

Hollywood Police Department, the

Broward County Sheriff’s Office, the

Metro Dade Police Department, insurance companies, the state’s attorney’s

office, the National Crime Insurance

Bureau, local car dealers, and others. 

Accountability and

New Mandates

Overnight, detectives were asked to

think and act in a fundamentally different manner. The desired shift

toward community-oriented investigation would not have occurred without

proper guidance from department

leadership. The chief and his senior

staff made it clear that detectives

were accountable for meeting the

challenges of their new roles.

“We forced them to hold monthly

meetings with their task forces. We’d

ask ‘When did you hold your last

meeting? I want documentation.’ We

created a system where there was no

way around the changes we were putting in place,” said Loizzo.

Other mandates were intended to foster better communication and operational integration. A department

meeting was held, and each unit was

asked to make a presentation about

its new roles and responsibilities.

This was one of the first occasions

for officers to gain an understanding

about the duties of their colleagues in

other units. Detectives and representatives from other units were asked to

attend roll call, a daily event previously attended only by patrol officers.

Meetings between the chief and the

detectives became routine. 

“Attitudes started to change,” said

Loizzo. “Detectives started to think

differently. Detectives in the domestic

violence unit began to think about

new issues, like helping victims get

to court. As detectives developed

stronger ties with the community,

they discovered new avenues for

their dedication. One detective organized a fundraiser for a young man

with cancer. When the fundraiser

came up a little short, the detective

paid for the young man’s plane ticket

to Disney World.” 

Community Input 

Was Essential

Improved communication between

detectives and other NMBPD units

increased the effectiveness of the

investigations unit. Better communication meant better intelligence and

more manpower. Perhaps the greatest
4

Bulletin From the Field: Practitioner Perspectives

boost to the investigations unit came

from the community. During the transition to community-oriented investigations, the department relied heavily

on the community for the development of task forces.

“They were an essential part of our

strategy formation and execution,”

said Loizzo. “On one occasion, the

Economic Crimes Task Force was

tackling the issue of elderly victimization. We invited the public to

these meetings. Many elderly people

attended. They helped us with intelligence, to develop a strategy, and then

went back to their condos and made

flyers to alert their neighbors.”

The department founded Club Law

and Order and invited the most critical members in each of North Miami

Beach’s 22 neighborhoods to participate as club representatives. Regular

meetings were held in which the representatives would voice concerns

and work with the department to

devise solutions. Detectives were

expected to attend meetings along

with representatives from other units

and the department’s leadership. 

Other changes included a Citizen’s

Police Academy to educate the public about police work, regularly held

town meetings, and community service projects organized by NMBPD

officers. The public began to realize

NMBPD was a hands-on operation

with the desire to partner with its 

residents.

“It was a slow process,” said Loizzo.

“Early on, I learned that when people

say everything is fine, it means there

is a lack of trust. At first, complaints

went up, and that was a sign of

progress. But over the years, complaints have gone down. That’s real

progress.”

The investigations unit reaped the

benefits of better community relations.

Growing trust for police among residents became an ally to investigative

work, because detectives were able to

rely on residents for cooperation and

intelligence. Friedman recalled a

homicide investigation in which a

homeless man had been murdered.

“By this time, the detective working

the case knew most of the homeless

people in the area,” said Friedman.

“He saw one of his homeless acquaintances at the crime scene, questioned

him onsite, was led to a suspect, and

got a full confession on the same day.”

Collaborating for

Success

A shift to community-oriented investigations is an acknowledgment that

crime is a complex phenomenon that

requires a balanced response. Adopting a balanced approach means that

detectives must collaborate better

among themselves and with other

community stakeholders. NMBPD

detectives discovered that effective

collaboration helped develop partnerships that facilitated their jobs. This

sort of change was remarkable in

that it was not merely the product of

authoritative decrees. Detectives and

other officers learned how to think

and act differently. Below are some

of the partners NMBPD detectives

enlisted for success.

Community Policing Unit

Detectives learned that community

officers were among their greatest

resources. Because of their assignments, community officers maintain

strong relationships with those who

live and work in their jurisdictions.

Their rapport with the community

became an invaluable asset when

detectives were gathering intelligence, interviewing suspects, and

working with victims.

Crime Prevention Unit

Developing an integrated approach

to crime meant learning how to put

prevention to work. The head of the

prevention unit worked hard to make

it an important part of the department’s efforts to fight crime. Unit

activities ranged from helping communities with crime prevention

through environmental design to running a Law Enforcement Explorers

program for local teens.

The unit’s success had been limited

by the lack of integration and coordination with investigative functions of

NMBPD. Partnering with the detectives enabled enactment of high-yield

and targeted prevention measures.

Today, if a robbery occurs in a neighborhood, detectives notify the crime

prevention unit, which takes followup

action. Among other things, the unit

will write a letter to the victim offering tips to help prevent revictimization, warn others in the area to 

prevent their victimization, and determine whether neighborhood-oriented

interventions (e.g., fixing streetlights)

could prevent future robberies.

Victims

Adopting a problem-solving approach

means focusing more on the needs of

victims. Because detectives are in

contact with victims early on, they
5

Community-Oriented Investigation at the North Miami Beach Police Department

are in a unique position to help them

cope with the crime and to serve as

their advocates in the criminal justice

system. For Friedman, the issue hits

close to home: “My brother was the

victim of a violent crime in Michigan,

and the local police department did

a terrible job of investigating the

case. It was like my brother had been

victimized twice, once by his perpetrators and again by the police department’s poor response. I vowed

never to treat victims in that manner.”

Detective Pam Darden described how

a community-oriented investigative

approach worked to benefit victims

of domestic abuse: “Today, if we are

dealing with a domestic abuse case,

we’ll put the victim up in a hotel, and

give the victim money for food and

for the kids. We’ll take them downtown to get an injunction, to a shelter

They donated ice cream and donuts

for social events, money for operational expenses, and time if needed.”

Local insurance companies emerged

as one of NMBPD’s strongest corporate partners. 

Major Beth Fernandez recalled,

“Before these reforms, detectives who

attempted to work auto theft cases

might have lacked critical information. In one instance, cars were being

stolen solely for the purpose of

extracting their airbags and selling

them on the black market. While our

detectives were being notified when

the stolen cars were recovered, the

insurance companies were often the

first to know that the airbags were

missing. By working with the insurance companies, we were able to

identify the true motive behind the

auto thefts. That information led to a

One Community Activist’s Experiences

Peter Roland lives in Highland Village, North Miami Beach’s only trailer park, and is one of its most

outspoken community members. In the 1970s and 1980s, Highland Village was nicknamed “Hooligan

Village.” The park had many seasonal residents whose trailers, abandoned during warmer months,

were looted and robbed. “The police never came here,” said Roland. “In fact, if you called the police

department, they would be surprised to learn that the area was even in their jurisdiction.” Roland

feared for his wife and children. “Drug dealers had taken over the park across the street. Prostitution

rings were being run out of the trailers. This place was lawless.” 

In 1989, Chief Berger took office and made it a priority to make NMBPD more responsive to the

community’s needs. He asked for help from residents such as Roland. Through outreach and programs

like Club Law and Order, the department and the community began to mend the culture of distrust

born of neglect. “It was clear that Chief Berger wanted to create change, but we had a huge communication problem with the police that wouldn’t change overnight,” said Roland. “The community

policing unit became a perennial presence, and our attitudes about the department began to change.” 

By working together, the department and residents transformed Highland Village into a virtually crimefree community. “We believe that the police cannot do their job without our support,” said Roland.

“Thanks to Chief Berger’s outreach and our willingness to work with him, we’ve made substantial

inroads to dealing with crime in this area. If you look at areas surrounding North Miami Beach, you’ll

find departments falling apart at the seams, crime stats out the roof, and rampant resident fear. We

have built a fortress in North Miami Beach, using partnerships as our bricks and mortar. Our community is like an oasis in the madness, and it’s because we’ve learned to work together.”

where they can be safe, and stay with

them throughout the legal process.

We’ll hold their hands in court if necessary. Before these changes took

place, a victim would have been

lucky to get even a referral to a local

shelter.” Victims became more willing to prosecute their assailants

because of the support system.

Local Businesses

Paul Templer, president of the North

Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce,

recalled the changes that took place

in the mid-1990s: “The police department reached out to the entire

community. Businesses began to trust

the department, and investigators

found that it easier to address crime

concerns with their help. Soon, businesses were eager to help the department through donations and support.
6

Bulletin From the Field: Practitioner Perspectives

list of suspects and, eventually, we

nabbed the guy who was buying the

airbags and selling them for a massive profit. Car thefts went down 

after that.”

Resistance to Change

Ordered to alter the only approach

to investigative work they had ever

known, NMBPD detectives’ reactions

ranged from fierce resistance to general discomfort.

“Police officers, like anyone else, can

be resistant to change,” said Chief

Berger. “On the other hand, the average IQ of police officers is 120. They

can be very creative if they are challenged and given an environment

where they can thrive.” 

The greatest challenge for detectives

was not grasping the theory behind

community-oriented investigations

but the practicalities associated with

implementing it. One of their biggest

hurdles was overcoming a shared fear

of public speaking. In the beginning,

supervisors would encourage detectives through pep talks and during

the presentations they were regularly

required to give at community meetings, to colleagues in the department,

or at monthly task force meetings.

“I was scared to death about running

those task force meetings,” admitted

Friedman. “In retrospect, it’s pretty

funny—a bunch of tough cops scared

to make a five-minute speech—but

we had never done it before.” 

Detectives soon became comfortable

in their new public-speaking roles.

Eventually, most came around to the

new way of doing business. Those

who stubbornly resisted change were

either asked to leave NMBPD or left

on their own. Most detectives opted

to change because they learned that

change was needed. Moreover, once

the method clicked there was no

turning back.

“It was phenomenal,” said Friedman.

“It just started to make sense. Our

work became more satisfying. We

were working more like a team and

getting better results. There was no

going back to the old way of doing

business.”

Measuring Success in

Different Ways

In North Miami Beach, crimes in almost every category have gone down

since the inception of communityoriented investigations and corresponding changes in departmental

structure and policy. Although declines in crime may be attributable

in part to changes in NMBPD, factors

such as economy, environment, and a

dynamic population base could also

be part of the equation. This does not

bother Fernandez. For NMBPD, success has come to be measured in different terms.

“The real success story here is our

improved status in the community,”

said Fernandez. “Over the years, our

customer satisfaction ratings have

skyrocketed. We currently have an

87-percent approval rating.” 

Clearly, numbers do not tell the entire

story. In fact, many changes in

NMBPD can be linked to successes

in the community. Over the years,

complaints have gone down, as has

fear of crime. The community has

begun to behave like a community.

Citizens and police are working

together to improve the quality of life

through shared values and the shared

mission of reducing crime. That is

perhaps the best measure of success.

The Current Situation

Today, if you go looking for the community investigations initiative in

NMBPD, chances are you won’t find

it. You won’t find the six task forces

established in 1994. Depending on

whom you talk to, you may be hardpressed to get a good description

of NMBPD’s community-oriented

approach to investigations. Why?

“After the changes of 1994 took root,

we began to outpace ourselves,” said

Fernandez. “The structures that were

originally in place were no longer

needed. The task forces established

in 1994 met the priorities of the department in 1994. Today, it would be

silly to mandate an auto theft task

force if it did not reflect our focus.

Instead, we rely on our detectives to

establish task forces on an as-needed

basis. They’ve now got the skills and

the know-how to do that.”

Perhaps the best way to understand

this phenomenon is to understand the

original intention of the communityoriented investigations initiative.

Corporal Morales and other patrol officers are

essential links to the community.
Keeping in Touch 

Jodi Schuster is the quintessential communityoriented detective. She’s

always in the community.

If she’s not tracking down

and interviewing suspects,

she is talking to residents.

“I hate being in the office,”

said Schuster. “The community is my most valuable

tool. As a detective, I have

to know what’s going on to

solve cases and help people.

I can’t do that from behind

a desk.” The joke around

NMBPD is that she knows

everyone. “You can’t walk

anywhere with her,” said

Officer Pam Denham, one

of Schuster’s partners, “it

takes too long. We have to

stop every few minutes to

talk to someone. But if you

ever have a problem or

need to gather intelligence

on someone, talk to Jodi.

She’ll have an answer!” 

Community-Oriented Investigation at the North Miami Beach Police Department

7

“It was not to start a program,” said

Loizzo. “Programs have beginnings

and ends. We set out to change the

culture of policing in our department.

Cultural changes endure and are

capable of responding to an everchanging environment.” 

Today, detectives no longer have to be

told to form a needed task force. Nor

do they need to be told to collaborate

with the crime prevention unit, community policing unit, businesses, the

community, or anyone else. These behaviors have become second nature. 

Unique Factors

Contributing to

Change

The transformation of NMBPD cannot

be explained by a formula. Although

it would be impossible to identify

a single reason why the shift to 

community-oriented investigations

succeeded in North Miami Beach,

several distinct factors played roles.

Change was the only option. After

establishment of community-oriented

investigations, many senior detectives

retired. This enabled the department

to bring in new officers who were less

likely to resist a community-oriented

approach.

The community was hungry for

more communication. There was

little community resistance when

NMBPD shifted to a communityoriented investigative approach.

Attendance at town meetings was a

good barometer. In the early 1990s,

citizen participation in town meetings

dwindled to the single digits. After

changes in NMBPD took root, routine

attendance jumped to more than 100.

NMBPD was part of a larger

community-oriented system.

Community-oriented government is a

theme that runs deep in North Miami

Beach. During the mid-1990s, the

city’s leadership was determined to

be responsive to community needs

through the development of policies

that were community driven. A supportive mayor meant less political

resistance and an easier transition.

Technology was essential. If system reform was the vehicle that 

carried NMBPD into the era of community investigations, technology was

its major fuel. With its arrival, detectives and other officers could communicate instantly with the entire 

department. Other powers also came

with new technologies: mapping gave

detectives a new problem-solving

tool, laptop computers made technologies portable, and new information management tools made storage

and retrieval of data easy.

Ownership won over change.

Because detectives maintained ownership of the shift in policing, they

also had a stake in ensuring its success. The chief and his senior staff

asked for the detectives’ input throughout the process. Detectives even

helped write the grant that seeded

the initiative.

Size mattered. With only 105 officers, NMBPD is small in comparison

to departments in other urban centers. Yet, in many ways, the size of

NMBPD made it an ideal laboratory

for change—large enough to demonstrate the power of group transformation and small enough that only a few

committed leaders were needed as

the principal agents of change. The

latter feature played an important role

in developing accountability among

detectives. Small numbers meant

that the department’s leadership

could devote time and attention to

each detective during the transition.

Although the question of a department’s size may be a unique factor in

NMBPD’s success, the Miami experience suggests that size need not be a

limiting reagent in the equation of

change.

Funding was available. Any

department wanting to emulate

NMBPD will have to contend

with funding realities. Change is
For Further

Information

For additional information regarding

community policing, contact: 

Bureau of Justice Assistance

810 Seventh Street NW.

Washington, DC 20531

202–616–6500

World Wide Web: 

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Clearinghouse

P.O. Box 6000

Rockville, MD 20849–6000

1–800–688–4252

World Wide Web: www.ncjrs.org

Clearinghouse staff are available

Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to

7 p.m. eastern time. Ask to be placed

on the BJA mailing list.

U.S. Department of Justice

Response Center

1–800–421–6770 or 202–307–1480

Response Center staff are available

Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to

5 p.m. eastern time.

NCJ 185367 

“I’d like the patrol unit to be more

community focused,” said Loizzo.

“Right now, they know to seek out

help if they have a problem, but I’d

like to get them to the point where

they can solve those problems on

their own initiative.” 

This point underscores the nature of

the shift in policing that took place in

1994. The goal of the initiative was

not to create a community investigations unit but to continue a mission

that began several years before in

Flint, Michigan: to create an entire

department equipped to use problem

solving in its everyday police work.

expensive. The first year of transition

cost NMBPD nearly $1 million, not

including expenditures on new technologies. The department’s reputation for innovation helped secure

federal funding for the project,

which contributed to its success.

After providing for the initial shift to

community-oriented investigations,

the department still had to contend

with sustaining the project once federal funding ceased. Fortunately, in

North Miami Beach, a healthy law

enforcement trust fund (derived principally from police seizures) and a

strong relationship with the city government continues to draw the funds

needed to continue. Additionally,

detectives have become skilled grant

writers and are routinely successful

in securing funding.

Conclusion

The North Miami Beach experience

is an unfolding story. Success in the

investigations unit has set a new standard that other department units hope

to follow. The next challenge for management is the patrol unit.

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Bureau of Justice Assistance

Washington, DC 20531

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Bulletin From the Field: Practitioner Perspectives

The Bureau of Justice Assistance is

a component of the Office of Justice

Programs, which also includes the

Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, the Office

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency

Prevention, and the Office for

Victims of Crime.