If traffic signals are damaged or power outages occur, staff will be needed to augment law enforcement personnel for traffic control operations.

Traffic Control DAEs are required to participate in an eight hour Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Certificate in Traffic Control Officer training.  This training will be facilitated through Miami-Dade Police Department Training Bureau.  This course includes a lecture portion and a field portion where actual traffic control is conducted under supervision.  Personnel who are unable to pass this course will not be considered for this disaster assignment.

Due to the physical demands of this position, it is imperative that personnel who sign up for this position are in good physical health. 

This position is not for people who: 

• have limited mobility
• have back, leg, neck or arm problems
• have a major health problem such as severe asthma, diabetes, or a heart condition
• are unable to tolerate long hours on their feet
• are unable to tolerate long hours in the sun or rain

The intent of this program is to supplement law enforcement with traffic control duties.  Best practices dictate that intersections will be staffed by a combination of certified civilian personnel, as well as uniformed officers.

MDPD will be responsible for deploying DAE Traffic Control Officers (TCO).  DAEs may only be assigned to traffic control during daylight hours and no later than one hour before curfew.

It should be understood that law enforcement personnel may have to respond to emergency calls in the near vicinity.  Leaving civilian personnel alone in an intersection should be avoided.  However, should the situation dictate that the DAE be left alone, it should be for no more than an hour.   This directive is in compliance with F.S.S. Ch. 316.640 4(a) whereby "…a traffic control officer may direct traffic or operate a traffic control device only at a fixed location and only upon the direction of a fully qualified law enforcement officer."  

DAEs assigned to traffic control will report to their respective Regional Deployment Command Center (sites listed below) when activated.  Upon arrival, the DAE must contact the DAE TCO site supervisor for sign-in and assignment information.  DAE TCO supervisors will be the conduit of information between MDPD and DAEs to standardize information and minimize disruption to normal MDPD operations.

Regional Deployment Command Centers

• Northwest District
  5975 Miami Lakes Drive
  Miami Lakes
• Midwest District
  9101 NW 25 Street
  Miami
• Cutler Ridge District
  10800 SW 211 Street
  Miami