District 11

Homeland Security Regional Training Facility

The Homeland Security Regional Training Facility is a project Commissioner Joe A. Martinez not only sponsored but has been aggressively pursuing since 2003.  This state of the art facility would be located on a portion of the property adjacent to the Homestead Air Force Base.  The training facility would not only benefit the local law enforcement community and its state of preparedness, but also serve as a model for other agencies throughout the country and therefore making it a coveted facility that agencies throughout the country and abroad will want to visit. The location of this facility coupled with the climate in South Florida will provide for local, state and federal and agencies abroad to participate in exercises and training programs year round.  

Presently, the United States Coast Guard has moved several operations to the site and will be a significant component of the proposal Commissioner Martinez submitted to the Board. Also, the expansion of the county’s training facilities at the Miami-Dade Police Department and the partnership forged with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) at this facility, only indicates the importance of continuing to pursue other State and Federal agencies to forge relationships with Miami-Dade County in order to bring to fruition this facility.  In addition, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has committed to maintaining a presence in South Dade in an effort to be ready to respond to any disasters and they have indicated that it will be pursuing a more permanent presence at our site.