Posted on Sun, Jan. 21, 2007
MIAMI GARDENS
New police chief set to combat crime
Matthew Boyd must define the role of police chief for his community and himself.
BY ROBERT SAMUELS
rsamuels@MiamiHerald.com
MIAMI GARDENS
New police chief set to combat crime
Matthew Boyd must define the role of police chief for his community and himself.
BY ROBERT SAMUELS
rsamuels@MiamiHerald.com
Before he vowed to fight crime in Miami Gardens, soon-to-be police Chief Matthew Boyd slouched in front of a TV camera. The news channel's photographer was about a head shorter than the 6-foot, 4-inch Boyd, who spent much of the evening answering questions. Questions about crime, money and just, you know how everything feels.
The camera's lights flashed off. Boyd cut his eyes to Renee Farmer, the assistant city manager and his new supervisor.
''You're doing great!'' she said, sticking her thumbs up.
He smiled back. Then he slouched again. Another TV reporter had questions. About crime, money and, you know, just how it all feels.
This is the life of a new police chief. A barrage of questions. A stream of support. Fighting a little nervousness.
Last Tuesday, Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez gave Boyd a vote of confidence and swore him in at Florida Memorial University. Boyd, in his first official act, swore in five other men of his command staff.
It's a new title for Boyd, but not that new of a job. As a major with the county police department, he already supervised the district covering this 3 ½ year-old city. He was responsible for 144 sworn officers and about 20 civilian employees.
When the city takes over policing duties from the county this December, Boyd's staff will be only a tad bigger -- 150 sworn officers and about 25 civilian employees.
What changes, Boyd said, is that new, heavy, imaginary weight a leader has on his shoulders. No longer with the county's backing, he is more responsible for results in an area becoming increasingly violent.
He also has to prove his worth to residents, who swallowed a 41 percent property tax increase to cover his big salary and that of his incoming staff.
''Now, I have to be more mindful about the decisions that I make,'' Boyd said. ``And that's about it.''
When he speaks about the future, Boyd's voice is cautious and precise. It peps when he channels his past.
''I was an actual street cop who was always on the ground,'' Boyd said. ``And even now I still go out on the road. You don't run into this type of action that often when you're in management, but I'll respond to the calls and assist the officers in taking subjects down.''
Still Boyd said he was set to slow down and retire in two years. He'd been with Miami-Dade police since 1982. The Discovery Channel even filmed him tracking down prostitutes for one of their television shows.
He was transferred in 2005 to be the major of the county's Miami Gardens Police District, where one of his mentors, Aaron Campbell, was a councilman.
''I was quite pleased when I heard he was transferred,'' said Campbell, who appreciates Boyd's results-oriented approach. ``He made a significant difference in the way policing was done in the city.''
Boyd was on track to hang up his police uniform when City Manager Danny Crew invited him to be their first police chief.
Crew told Boyd he was assembling an incentives package that would turn heads across the nation. Boyd would get the opportunity to hire top-quality police officers and build a department from the ground up.
It was then Boyd decided to end his career at the county police. Last week, he donned a a Miami Gardens uniform instead.
At the ceremony, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle praised the chief's work ethic. But she looked at his command staff and noticed something disturbing.
''I know the next step is you're going to have lots of women to join you on the stage, right?'' Fernandez Rundle said. The crowd applauded.
In his speech, Boyd acknowledged his lone female hire, Marilyn Gonzalez, who will handle the department's training. Her position made her a part of the non-sworn staff.
Boyd later said the comments about the lack of women on the command staff ``caught him off guard.''
''But the thing is there have not been a great deal of females applying for the positions,'' Boyd said. ``One thing with Miami Gardens, and I'd make this statement to everybody, is as long as you're qualified, we have no problems bringing you on board.''
The city's incentives package for new police officers, designed by its city manager, offers high salaries as well as $12,000 signing bonus. The offer worries nearby departments, who wonder if they can compete.
For example, Boyd said he was to make about $110,000 as a county major. He'll be making almost $140,000 as the chief. That's why the reporters ask him about money.
''Trust me, that package looks good,'' Boyd said, ``but I can tell you right now my decision to come to Miami Gardens was not ultimately [about] the money. It was the opportunity to make my mark here.''
That won't be easy. The city's homicide rate rose by 50 percent this year, which prompted questions about priorities for crime.
''Right now, we don't have one crime that we're going to favor over the other,'' Boyd said before he was sworn in. ``We're going after all of it.''
As he made those comments, three of his good friends sneaked up behind them. When he saw them, he gave them a big hug. It answered ''the just how it feels'' question.
''Man, I was feeling a little tense before you came,'' Boyd told the group, ``but now, I feel like I'm ready for this.''
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