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RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THANKS TO THE ELECTED CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS, AND THE COMMUNITY OF GRAPEVINE, TEXAS FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY POLICE OFFICER JAIME PARDINAS WHO WAS INJURED IN THE LINE OF DUTY WHILE TRANSPORTING A CONVICT

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WHEREAS, earlier this month, a person who had recently been convicted and sentenced to a 10-year sentence for a rape he committed in the Little Havana area of Miami-Dade County was being transported back to Las Vegas, Nevada by airplane to finish the remainder of a prior 30-year to life sentence; and
WHEREAS, after the convict began acting erratically towards the end of the first leg of the flight, the officers rented an SUV to transport the convict the remainder of the trip to Las Vegas; and
WHEREAS, on February 11, 2013 while in route to Las Vegas, the officers stopped in Grapevine, Texas, a suburb of Dallas described as �a rural lakefront community� to wait for a third officer to arrive and join them in transporting the convict the remainder of trip; and
WHEREAS, in Grapevine, while one of the two officers was away from the vehicle, the convict tried to escape from the SUV by releasing himself from handcuffs and restraints; and
WHEREAS, after struggling with Miami-Dade Police Officer Jaime Pardinas who was with him in the van, the convict managed to stab the officer several times in the neck, shoulder and back with a handmade weapon the prisoner had made using a sharpened eyeglass frame; and
WHEREAS, although Officer Pardinas was seriously injured, he managed to called 911; and
WHEREAS, shortly thereafter, Officer Pardinas received much needed emergency medical attention and the Grapevine police, a 90-member force, quickly mobilized, and called in state and federal law enforcement agencies to assist in the manhunt; and
WHEREAS, an intense manhunt ensued using the excellent resources of the Grapevine police force and other law enforcement agencies which followed up on multiple leads, including fielding 80-100 tips; and
WHEREAS, the entire community was justly concerned about the escaped convict and, along with elected city officials, was actively engaged in warning persons in the area of the escape; and
WHEREAS, the convict was located hiding in a thicket of oak trees in Grapevine and was shot and killed by police shortly after midnight on February 15, 2013; and
WHEREAS, Officer Pardinas is recovering from his injuries and Miami-Dade County owes the elected officials, law enforcement agencies, healthcare professionals and the community of Grapevine, Texas a sincere and heartfelt debt of gratitude for all of their assistance,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA that this Board:
Section 1. Expresses its gratitude to the law enforcement agencies and healthcare professionals for their quick, thorough, and professional response in providing much needed assistance to Officer Pardinas and fellow officers.
Section 2. Expresses its gratitude to the elected City Council Members and the community for their concern and active participation in locating the convict.
Section 3. Acknowledges that without these exemplary acts of service, our police officers could have been in even more jeopardy.
Section 4. Directs the Mayor and the Mayor�s designee to provide an official copy of this resolution to the Grapevine City Council, the directors of its police and emergency services departments, and others directly involved in the efforts detailed in this resolution.





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Rebeca Sosa, Chairwoman


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Lynda Bell, Vice Chair


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Bruno A. Barreiro, District 5 Esteban L. Bovo, Jr., District 13


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Jose �Pepe� Diaz, District 12 Audrey M. Edmonson, District 3


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Sally A. Heyman, District 4 Barbara J. Jordan, District 1


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Jean Monestime, District 2 Dennis C. Moss, District 9


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Javier D. Souto, District 10 Xavier L. Suarez, District 7


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Juan C. Zapata, District 11



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Carlos A. Gimenez, Mayor