Miami-Dade Transit and 50 State Security
Honorable Mayor, Commissioner Gimenez, and County Manager,
I’m writing today in reference to two incidents that have occurred at the Coconut Grove 27th Ave Metrorail station in the last month. Carlos Miller, a nationally known photojournalist and First Amendment activist, was filming at the Metrorail station on July 1st, 2010 and July 29th, 2010 and both times was harassed by uniformed guards from 50 State Security (contracted by Miami-Dade Transit).
In the first incident, Mr. Miller and Stretch Ledford (a Graduate Student at the University of Miami) were told that he had been “banned for life” after he had merely asserted his First Amendment right to film public spaces for non-commercial activities without a permit. In addition to the rude and aggressive behavior by private security, a sworn officer with the Miami-Dade County Police Department also joined in, proudly displaying his ignorance of the law in question.
The second incident, which occurred today, was far more severe. Mr. Miller’s camera, which is his private property, was confiscated even though he had not been formally charged with a crime. Mr. Miller was also allegedly assaulted by an employee of 50 State Security.
The actions taken by 50 State Security and the Miami-Dade Police Department are unacceptable. Therefore, I am requesting the following:
- A complete and thorough internal investigation by Miami-Dade Transit and the Internal Affairs Division of the Miami-Dade Police Department of both incidents.
- A review of policies and procedures followed by private security contractors in Miami-Dade County with regards to the handling of photographers. Language should be added to Miami-Dade County Ordinance Sec. 2-11.14 (2) explicitly stating that photography for non-commercial activities is legal and protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.
- Mandatory training for all employees of 50 State Security who were involved in the incidents.
- Disciplinary action and/or removal of the employee who allegedly assaulted Mr. Miller.
I have attached Mr. Miller’s account of the first incident to this letter. I look forward to swift and decisive action by Miami-Dade County to rectify this situation for Mr. Miller and ensure his and others’ safety in the future.
Best Regards,
Stephen Murray
Coconut Grove Village Council
CC:
Sam Terilli, University of Miami
stephenmurrayactivism.wordpress.com 
STEPHEN-Here is “the skinny” ON THIS ORGANIZATION-50 state security. It has always hired marginal multi-ethnic guards, seldom, if ever given pay raises in 40 years-skims money from payrolls by jamming guard’s files, then denying them vacation benefits. The company does NOT like to train guards-initially, or thereafter-because it even has to outsource trainers. This company does not make any great moves to have updated rules and post orders regulations for presentation-it makes for legal ensnarements for them when they get sued. They are so broke, per-suing this Rail Contract at all costs, that the manpower they provide must come from “round-the-clock gimmick recruitment. In fact-they couldn’t attract an educated recruit, or cop, or serviceman—TO SAVE THEIR LIFE!HIRE-FIRE-NEEDS ARE DIRE-AND ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT GENERATED IN THE OFFICE MANAGEMENT! THEY DON’T COMMUNICATE WELL WITH THE GUARDS-THEY DON’T WANT TO! It operates like guards are throw-away Dixie-Cups.They are so broke, in fact, they auctioned off their buiding-and couldn’t even afford to rent it from the new owners! Down the street they moved-to a second floor cubicle-jungle-next to a Chinese Restaurant. The point is-the managers are not interested in security, public safety, or backing even the welfare of their own guards! They regard the guards as chattel-property, indentured slaves. They abuse and threaten most of the guards on common posts, and deny jobs to those who don’t put up with the stupidity. The only thing they are concerned with in that office-is their own paycheck. From that perspective and history, you can easily see why that type of incident that occured to Crlos Miller happens over-and-over-without remorse or comprehension for rules and behavior modifications! Indeed-it is time for 50 STATE SECURITY ( AND MANY OTHER OUTSOURCED ABOMINATIONS PRETENDING TO OFFER REAL SECURITY!) TO HANG UP THE SERVICING OF THIS SENSITIVE CONTRACT-AND RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNSET–
STEPHEN-Here is “the skinny” ON THIS ORGANIZATION-50 state security. It has always hired marginal multi-ethnic guards, seldom, if ever given pay raises in 40 years-skims money from payrolls by jamming guard’s files, then denying them vacation benefits. The company does NOT like to train guards-initially, or thereafter-because it even has to outsource trainers. This company does not make any great moves to have updated rules and post orders regulations for presentation-it makes for legal ensnarements for them when they get sued. They are so broke, per-suing this Rail Contract at all costs, that the manpower they provide must come from “round-the-clock gimmick recruitment. In fact-they couldn’t attract an educated recruit, or cop, or serviceman—TO SAVE THEIR LIFE!HIRE-FIRE-NEEDS ARE DIRE-AND ABSOLUTELY NO RESPECT GENERATED IN THE OFFICE MANAGEMENT! THEY DON’T COMMUNICATE WELL WITH THE GUARDS-THEY DON’T WANT TO! It operates like guards are throw-away Dixie-Cups.They are so broke, in fact, they auctioned off their buiding-and couldn’t even afford to rent it from the new owners! Down the street they moved-to a second floor cubicle-jungle-next to a Chinese Restaurant. The point is-the managers are not interested in security, public safety, or backing even the welfare of their own guards! They regard the guards as chattel-property, indentured slaves. They abuse and threaten most of the guards on common posts, and deny jobs to those who don’t put up with the stupidity. The only thing they are concerned with in that office-is their own paycheck. From that perspective and history, you can easily see why that type of incident that occurred to Carlos Miller happens over-and-over-without remorse or comprehension for rules and behavior modifications! Indeed-it is time for 50 STATE SECURITY ( AND MANY OTHER OUTSOURCED ABOMINATIONS PRETENDING TO OFFER REAL SECURITY!) TO HANG UP THE SERVICING OF THIS SENSITIVE CONTRACT-AND RIDE OFF INTO THE SUNSET–
i seldom run the table on agencies just because they abuse me-but when the behavior is run on each-and-every employee-and the office managers are either screwing each other, or jamming their own relatives into jobs-and kicking out long-standing guards for nothing-we have to take exception and reprimand the agency! Times are rough for decent workers-and bills pile up. We, on the outside, must work together to even protect those still working-we cannot be horse-whipped on the outside. It behooves us to give a voice to those who labor and suffer within such confines, Steve. I tout myself as “Revolutionary”-I do so in all honesty of the definition. One thing I do NOT do-bully the opponents or place lives in jeapordy-which I feel that this organization DOES-by defaulted neglect and uncaring attitudes. Steve- it is important to the community-at-large to champion the moral high-ground and take a stance on the safety of the public. God-Bless-and do what you can to rebuild the community in economic hard times.
AND NOW THE ZOMBIES ARE COMING TO GET EVERYONE, BAR-BER-AAAA!!!—-DON’T YOU WISH YOU HAD YOUR EXPERIENCED ZOMBIE COMMANDOS BACK WITH YOU…???!