Former Chief, NMB Police Department - NMB, Florida
Courage and Leadership of The Chief Made Us All Safer
Before her retirement in September of 2007, Chief Linda M. Loizzo had been with the
NMB police department for over 33 years and was very involved in the community. She
served on many boards and hosted many major conferences.
Often the City of
NMB’s undercover Crime Suppressant Team members under the Chief's leadership
positioned themselves to observe crime before it happened. As a result, suspects have
been arrested in and around our neighborhood and even outside our area before they
had a chance to get away. That made them easier to identify, apprehend and
prosecute.
For this alone, the Chief deserves our gratitude.
But
what distinguished Chief Loizzo was her courage to undertake causes that were
unpopular and massive. The Chief did so even though she knew that in the short term
doing so would not enhance the image of her City but she did so anyway since she had
the foresight to know that in the long term her residents would be safer. The Chief
understands well that problems do not resolve themselves and pretending they do not
exist does not make them disappear.
One recent situation that exemplifies
this attribute of Linda Loizzo was her response to youth and gang violence. It is a
problem that existed and exists far beyond her City's borders. It would have been
easier for the Chief to wait for someone else to organize a group to deal with the
situation especially an official whose constituency includes all of North Miami-Dade
and South Broward, but she was very proactive and courageous. Chief Loizzo hired two
of the Country's foremost authorities on youth and gang violence to conduct an
analysis and give recommendations regarding comprehensive responses to the increase
in youth and gang violence in our area.
The Chief understood that since
the problem existed way beyond her City's borders, involvement from the relevant
governmental agencies and political leaders of all areas of North Dade and South
Broward was needed. Law enforcement and community leaders quickly stepped to the
plate but political leaders and the media shied away like it was the plague. Chief
Loizzo had the full support of NMB Mayor Raymond F. Marin and our community. Now it
is long past time to get other political leaders and a new chief
involved.
It is likely that because of Chief Loizzo's Leadership regardless
of where one lives in North Dade or South Broward, his or her safety was enhanced
because of Chief Loizzo.
For her courage and leadership, our community
recognizes Chief Linda M. Loizzo as our hero.
.
