Miami Police Department: A Street-Smart Transformation

Breaking New Ground

The Miami Police Department (MPD) is rewriting the playbook on public safety, embracing data-informed strategies, smarter deployment, and cutting-edge innovation. With support from The Policing Lab, the department has launched groundbreaking initiatives that are transforming how they fight crime and serve the community.

Facing rising crime rates and increasing public safety challenges, MPD knew it was time for bold action. The department committed to a long-term vision that would drive down violent crime and elevate their policing efforts. The results have far exceeded expectations, setting a new standard for policing in Miami.

Mission-Based Policing: Enhancing Efficiency and Impact

Following the rollout of GPS dashboards in 2022, MPD began rethinking officer shift assignments, leading to the introduction of mission-based tasks. These clear, goal-oriented assignments are designed to align patrol work with department priorities. MPD utilized Microsoft Planner, a tool already available to all officers, to plan and assign missions without requiring new technology. Officers were trained in mission development, and a Mission Menu was created to provide structure. Over time, the department added new tools like a web-based crime view and a presence dashboard, to help match missions to locations where they would have the greatest impact.

To keep leadership informed and improve coordination, a Chief’s Daily Snapshot was created, a concise report summarizing key trends and incidents. The Policing Lab helped design and operationalize this tool, now seamlessly integrated into the department’s daily workflow.

The Data Bodega: A Launch Pad for Change

A key part of MPD’s transformation was building a clean, accessible data infrastructure—a real game-changer. Before this initiative, MPD's data was fragmented, making it difficult to derive meaningful insights. In partnership with The Policing Lab, MPD developed the Data Bodega, a centralized hub that serves as the department’s single source of truth for crime statistics, call data, and operational reporting. Since its launch, the Data Bodega has powered real-time dashboards, enabling analysts and command staff to make quick, data-driven decisions every day.

Micro Hot Spot Policing Program: Targeted Precision

MPD also introduced the Micro Hot Spot Policing Program, a strategy that focuses resources on small, high-crime areas to drive meaningful results. Developed in-house with guidance from The Policing Lab, the program incorporates officer feedback to refine deployment strategies. A harm index—which prioritizes areas not only by violent crime but also property crime and quality-of-life concerns—guides mission execution. The program has since expanded across multiple districts, supported by routine training and ongoing analysis.

A New Sheriff in Town 

In 2023, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO), one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the nation, embraced a bold new vision for policing. With jurisdiction over a sprawling county and a new sheriff leading the way, MDSO stepped up to the challenge of redefining public safety in some of Miami-Dade’s highest-risk neighborhoods..

An EPIC Approach to Public Safety

To combat the rising tide of violence, MDSO, with support from The Policing Lab, established three Enhanced Proactive Intelligence Centers (EPICs) in some of the county's most violence-prone areas. These centers became hubs for real-time briefings, dynamic deployments, and actionable intelligence, enabling command staff to make quick, data-driven decisions that could save lives and reduce harm. By centralizing and streamlining data through the EPICs, MDSO was able to improve both strategic planning and real-time responsiveness, marking a clear shift from traditional reactive policing.

Modernizing Data for Smarter Decisions

Beyond the EPICs, MDSO worked with The Policing Lab to overhaul its data infrastructure. This included developing crime reduction and investigation-focused dashboards, equipping officers and command staff with the tools needed to track trends, allocate resources, and respond to emerging threats more effectively.

Hundreds of Fewer Victims

Between 2023 and 2024, MDSO achieved significant reductions in violent crime:

19%

drop in violent
crime overall

11%

reduction in
homicides

14%

decline in
shootings

In just one year, MDSO recorded hundreds fewer victims, demonstrating the effectiveness of their smarter, data-driven approach to policing. These results carried into 2025, with continued improvements:

17%

additional drop in homicides

20%

reduction in
robberies

30%

decrease in 
auto thefts

Precision Policing in Action 

These results weren’t driven by an increase in officers on the streets; they came from precision policing—targeting the right places at the right times with the right resources. With a focus on presence, data, and strategic deployments, MDSO is building a safer, more proactive future for Miami-Dade.

A Community in Crisis

North Miami was a city plagued by violent crime, with only 120 officers responding to over 75,000 calls for service each year. In 2018 alone, there were 524 violent crimes and 2,329 property crimes recorded, resulting in a violent crime rate of 8.7 per 1,000 residents, which is double the national average and three times the Florida average. (NOTE: The national violent crime rate per 1,000 residents is 3.6, and in Florida it’s 2.6).  North Miami recorded 39 property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2018, compared to the national average of 19 and Florida’s rate of 15 per 1,000 residents. As one of South Florida’s most diverse and economically disadvantaged communities, nearly 20% of North Miami’s residents live below the poverty line. When a new Chief of Police took command, it became increasingly clear that a reactive policing approach was no longer sufficient, leading to a command decision to adopt a data-driven, proactive strategy to reduce the city’s rising violence.

A New Vision for Safety

In 2023, NMPD partnered with The Policing Lab to overhaul its internal systems and sharpen decision-making. The goal wasn’t just to gather better data, it was to drive better outcomes for the people of North Miami.  This meant rethinking everything: how resources were deployed, how officers interacted with the community, and how violence could be prevented before it even started. From community outreach to operational analysis, the department adopted a comprehensive, proactive strategy rooted in harm reduction and trust-building.

A Historic Turning Point

In 2024, for the first time in nearly 50 years, North Miami recorded zero homicides. This unprecedented safety milestone reflects not only strategic success but also the department’s deepening bond with the community. 

100%

reduction in homicides

41%

drop in
violent crime

13%

reduction in 
total crime

The third-lowest number of Part I crimes recorded since the 1970s.
These results weren’t the product of increased enforcement, they resulted from smarter, community-driven strategies rooted in prevention and accountability.

Building Enduring Results

North Miami’s success is a case study in how even the most challenging environments, shaped by socioeconomic disparities, can experience extraordinary change. By focusing on local conditions, maintaining officer presence, and implementing long-term strategies—backed by data and insights from The Policing Lab—NMPD has built a public safety model grounded in agility / adaptability / attentiveness / proactive engagement /commitment  and trust. Looking ahead, the department’s work serves as a powerful reminder that when data and community come together, the most astonishing transformations can be achieved.