The Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) is pleased to announce that Lieutenant David Calzadilla has been awarded the departmental Exceptional Service Award and was selected the Distinguished Officer of the Month for February 2008.  Lieutenant Calzadilla has been a Department member since 1983, and is currently assigned to the Special Patrol Bureau.

On September 13, 2007, the tragic police shooting that resulted in the death of Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) Officer Jose Somohano occurred.  In addition to the death of Officer Somohano, three other MDPD officers were shot by the same subject, with one of the three sustaining very serious injuries. 

Lieutenant Calzadilla immediately took the initiative to respond and establish a staging area for personnel from MDPD and other law enforcement agencies involved in the police response to the shooting.  Lieutenant Calzadilla was able to create a consortium of hundreds of law enforcement officers available to serve in various details and assignments.  He utilized his own personnel and the pool of officers to maintain an extensive perimeter that had been established immediately after the shooting to isolate the subject.  Lieutenant Calzadilla personally inspected all boundary points and made adjustments accordingly to maintain the integrity of the perimeter.  He effectively utilized manpower resources to provide relief for officers working the perimeter, and also arranged for the delivery of meals to the staging area to feed all personnel.

Recognizing the magnitude of the events and ceremony associated with the police funeral that would follow, Lieutenant Calzadilla and other members of the Special Patrol Bureau, met the following day and began planning for the memorial services in honor of Officer Somohano.  Once venues for the service and the burial site had been established, Lieutenant Calzadilla directed members of the Special Events Unit to meet with representatives from each venue and conduct site surveys.  Lieutenant Calzadilla willingly assumed responsibility for the funeral service which was to be held on the property of Florida International University. 

Planning for this significant event continued through the weekend, and was conducted along with his collateral responsibilities that included managing a college football game at Dolphin Stadium and a Miami Dolphins football game during the same time frame. 

Coordination of all staffing and police involvement at the memorial services, which were held on September 18, 2007, was a challenging task of great proportion.  Lieutenant Calzadilla directed the assignments of more than 80 personnel, and created a traffic and parking plan for thousands of attendees.  He also assisted in the designation of seating arrangements; directed the response of all MDPD personnel, Miami-Dade County entities, and outside agencies; and provided logistical support for the commemorative ceremonies.

Lieutenant Calzadilla provided valuable supervisory assistance in the aftermath of the tragic shooting and demonstrated a personal commitment to the law enforcement mission as well as the success of the memorial services for Officer Somohano.  This high-profile case received extensive local and national media attention and resulted in an outpouring of heart felt support from the community for police officers. 

Lieutenant Calzadilla’s exceptional leadership skills, positive attitude, and tireless efforts helped commemorate Officer Somohano in a professional and inspiring manner. 

Prepared by:

Sandra G. Kramer
Media Relations Bureau