Miami Courant

On April 12, 2024, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill No. 601 into law. The new legislation, adopted by the Florida Legislature with an effective date of July 1, 2024, prohibits the City from adopting or enforcing any ordinance related to either of the following: (a) The receipt, processing, or investigation by any political subdivision of this state of complaints of misconduct by law enforcement or correctional officers, except as expressly provided in this section; or (b) Civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies’ investigations of complaints of misconduct by law enforcement or correctional officers. As a result, the City of Miami is barred from allocating budget funds to a board whose main purpose and duties are contrary to Florida Statutes.

The new law allows the Miami Chief of Police to establish a new civilian oversight board to review the policies and procedures of the department and its subdivisions. According to the statute, the board must be composed of at least three and up to seven members appointed by the Police Chief, one of whom shall be a retired law enforcement officer. The Chief is currently in the process of establishing this new oversight board in compliance with the new law.

"We commend the dedicated members of our community that serve on the Community Advisory Panel (CAP) who assist Chief Manuel Morales by providing valuable feedback on current policies and suggesting necessary changes to ensure the department remains focused on prioritizing community needs," stated city officials. "The CAP will be taking on many responsibilities previously held by the CIP, ensuring that the Miami Police Department upholds the highest ethical standards and adheres to national best practices."