Miami-Dade Schools’ police chief picked to oversee Doral PD

The Doral City Council on Wednesday voted unanimously to hire Miami-Dade County Public Schools Police Chief Edwin Lopez to lead the city’s police department. Lopez will begin the job on Jan. 18.

His “qualifications and effective leadership will prove an asset to our organization. His trajectory as the Chief of the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department ... exemplifies the experience and knowledge that will be key in elevating our Doral Police Department,” City Manager Barbara Hernandez wrote in a memo to council members.

Lopez will receive an annual salary of $199,000, according to an employment agreement. At Miami-Dade Schools, he earned between $180,000 and $190,000. He will also receive the same cost-of-living increases granted to other city directors, and a merit increase of up to 10% based on yearly evaluations. Lopez is also eligible for any incentives granted to officers, such as education and hazard pay.

He will also receive a monthly $150 cellphone stipend and, in lieu of mileage reimbursement or a vehicle allowance, Lopez will be provided with an unmarked police vehicle for personal and professional use.

READ MORE: Miami-Dade schools police chief could be next Doral police chief

Lopez described the transition to Doral as an emotional one because of his passion for protecting Miami-Dade’s schools.

“The first order of business is to speak to the men and women in blue ... for me, to get a pulse on the organization is going to be critical. To speak to members of the department at all different levels ... is critical to me,” Lopez told the Herald.

“I look forward to hit the ground running,” he said.

Salary questions

Lopez’s appointment was not without questions. Councilwoman Digna Cabral raised concerns about Lopez’s salary, which she said is $24,000 more than what his predecessor made. She also noted that the yearly merit raises would place him above $300,000 in a few years’ time, which is higher than what some city directors and charter officers make.

Hernandez, however, said Lopez’s salary is capped at $225,000 and could only be increased beyond that number if the council decided on it during budget discussions or after a salary study was conducted. She added that Lopez’s salary is an increase of less than 5% over what he was making at the school district.

Hernandez also noted that Lopez’s salary is comparable to other police chiefs in demographically similar cities such as Coral Gables, whose police chief makes $235,000. “I wanted to make sure we were competitive from that aspect of it,” Hernandez said during the meeting.

Recruiting and retention

Under Lopez’s leadership, Miami-Dade Schools’ police force grew to be the largest school-based police department in the United States, with almost 500 sworn personnel. In a 36-month span, he recruited and hired more than 350 officers to the department, according to Lopez.

He hopes to use those same recruiting tactics to grow and retain Doral’s police force. Doral’s police department has 203 employees, 155 of whom are sworn officers, and a budget of more than $30 million, comprising 57% of the city’s budget.

Miami-Dade Public Schools has 468 officers, according to the district. It’s hired nearly 300 resource officers since voters passed a property tax referendum in 2018, which helped fund school safety and teacher pay. Each one of those officers is paid for by the tax.

“I have a very proactive and transparent and inclusive leadership style. So getting input from our committee members and our police officers alike will give me the necessary information I need as I prepare, recruit, re-plan and really dive in to see internal issues in terms of retainment of officers,” Lopez said after the meeting. “I look forward to implementing some of those same strategies with the City of Doral Police Department as well.”

Lopez replaces Raul Ubieta, Doral’s former police chief, whom the city asked to resign. His last day was Dec. 30, according to a resignation letter.

A graduate of Southwest Senior High School, Lopez had been a steady presence in Miami-Dade Public Schools for more than 20 years. Prior to being sworn in as chief in July 2018, succeeding former Chief Ian A. Moffet, he was a police officer, a sergeant and a school resource officer. He was a physical education teacher before training to join the police force.

He also worked as a detached investigator for the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office Gang Strike Force.

Lopez was the first Hispanic chief to lead the Miami-Dade public school district’s police department since its founding in the 1960s.

Interim City Attorney appointed

Lopez’s hiring is the latest in a growing number of links between Doral and the school district.

New Mayor Christi Fraga, elected in December, resigned her position on the school board before taking office. Then, the City Council voted unanimously to appoint Hernandez as city manager. Hernandez’s husband, former Doral City Attorney Daniel Espino, was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to the Miami-Dade County School Board to fill the seat vacated by Fraga.

On Wednesday, the council also decided to appoint Fort Lauderdale-based law firm Nabors, Giblin and Nickerson, PA to handle city attorney until they can fill the position full-time.

City Attorney Luis Figueredo submitted his resignation on Dec. 15, but was asked to stay on for 30 more days. A search committee comprised of appointments from the city council will be formed to find Figueredo’s successor.