Miami’former frequent flyer mayor — the guy who once turned taxpayer money into his own personal presidential wannabe protection program, with cops in tow across Asia, the the Caribbean, and the campaign trail — has added a new footnote to his abuse of power file.
Remember when activists pointed out that while Francis Suarez was skipping all over the globe, Miami was footing the bill for security that tagged along to luxury hotels and state visits? That $20,000 security tab during his short-lived presidential run raised eyebrows several times — enough for ethics complaints, even if they got tossed on technical grounds.
The same officers — whose time is billed to residents as “dignitary protection” — was recently spotted again last week with a police unit outside Baby X’s $2 million Battersea Road house. But he is no longer mayor. Not on vacation. Not on a travel jaunt. He is termed out. Gone. Out. Finito. Newly elected Mayor Eileen Higgins was sworn in and got the keys to City Hall on Thursday.
Read related: Goodbye, Francis Suarez: Miami’s most frequent flyer mayor takes off for good
But still, there they were, cops idling outside the former mayor’s house like a Kardashian lived there or it was a VIP lounge — taxpayers paying for watchful eyes while the rest of Miami watches cops scramble for staffing.
“The police unit that had been stationed outside the former Mayor’s residence was originally established during the previous administration. During the transition following the election of Mayor Higgins, the detail was inadvertently not discontinued,” said Police Chief Manny Morales, responding to Ladra’s inquiry. “Once the oversight was brought to my attention, it was promptly corrected,” he said.
Translation from Ladra: Oops! We forgot to turn it off — but now we did.
That’s right: according to the Chief, the only thing more persistent than Francis Suarez’s frequent flyer miles was his taxpayer-funded protective detail — apparently forgotten like leftovers in the back of a fridge. And once someone (read: Ladra) asked about it, voilà — gone. Poof. Like magic.
Read related: Miami Police commander says Chief Manuel Morales is corrupt, unethical
Inadvertently, Morales said. As in: no one noticed. As in: no one stopped it. As in: Francis Suarez never thought to say, “Hey, maybe I shouldn’t still have a cop posted outside my house.”
Because that’s the real outrage here. The cops were there with his knowledge. With his silence. With his acceptance.
This is the same Francis Suarez who normalized flying around the world with Miami police officers in tow — on the public dime — while selling himself as a global brand, a crypto evangelist, and a presidential contender. The same guy who blurred the line 
between public service and personal privilege so badly that even now, after he’s gone, the perks apparently lingered like an unpaid bar tab.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t just a paperwork “oopsie.”
This is about a former mayor who apparently felt perfectly comfortable continuing to enjoy taxpayer-funded police protection after leaving office, while the city struggles with staffing shortages, overtime costs, and neighborhoods begging for patrols.
He should be forced to pay the city back for their salaries those days they were there out of his million of dollars that he got as he was mayor.
If this reads like a comedy of errors, that’s because it is. Miami watched cops jet off to foreign lands on the public dime to babysit a mayor on official visits that seemed more like selfies and second breakfast than security priorities. Now even after he’s out of office, the protective detail apparently needed someone to notice before it evaporated.
Meanwhile, residents are left wondering: whose safety was the priority here — the people who pay the bills, or the guy who enjoyed them?
Miami residents didn’t elect a king. They hired a mayor — temporarily. And when the job ends, so do the privileges.
Or at least, they’re supposed to.
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Out-of-office Francis Suarez thought the Miami ‘protection’ cops were his to keep added by Ladra on
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Francis Suarez cannot stop stealing. It is in his blood. Ex-Mayor Francis Suarez loves his 24/7 chauffeurs so much he kept them even after new Mayor Higgins was sworn in. Did Higgins approve Suarez stealing more money from taxpayers? Will Police Chief Manny file for his pension? Will Higgins fire the crook Art Noriega?
That’s Bad ! But If I Tell You That Mayor Levine Cava Some Times Has 3 Sargent s in Arms To Go to Funerals ! That That Talks aaaaaaaabout Bicycles Is Driven Around All The Time ?
Ummm Damian Pardo also has full sergeant police security detail that drives him around and follows him everywhere. He uses it on the weekends and drives around stalking and intimidating his neighbors. Anyone who believed Higgins would get rid of corruption is a fool. Suarez chose her and supported her.
Eileen Higgins lied to voters. She has not cleaned up anything. How could Higgins allow Francis Suarez the ex-mayor to keep stealing from taxpayers. Now it is on her watch. She lied about cleaning up the corruption.
One of Francis Suarez’s chauffeurs AKA policeman AKA Sargent at Arms gets a base pay of $225,000 plus a $100,000 benefit package. FOR DOING ZERO POLICE WORK. Just for kissing ass. Manny Morales needs to go. Higgins needs to demand Suarez reimburses the taxpayers for this theft.
Francis Suarez stealing… Again.
The chief needs to go along with the city manager. Both need to be fired over this. Plus I bet the chief knew about this. Most unprofessional chief of police I have ever seen.
”As a Grove resident maybe we should take the amount used in police services out of the police chiefs salary. Fire him !”
The corruption in Miami is is bad that Police who start out because they care , want to make a difference are put in horrible situations if they want to advance , at minimum over look a lot of things .
I said this in an old post but one of my uncles friends was police in Miami and was able to transfer further North in state , It seems he was reluctantly hired from Miami but they want someone who spoke Spanish , had few years experience plus a 4 year college degree .
The chief up there told him nicely that this was not Miami and what was acceptable here was not there , from what I understand he done very well , loves it there as he was not happy here
Morales is corrupt and and Mayor Higgins will keep him since she got Joe Carollo’s endorsement.
As a Grove resident maybe we should take the amount used in police services out of the police chiefs salary. Fire him !
Ladra,
Not only should newly elected Mayor demand reimbursement from Francis Suarez and warrants the firing of the ever corrupt Police Chief Manny Morales.
Let see how Mayor Higgins decides to lead. These are testing moments for her.
Sounds like Manny Morales got caught being nice so that he can keep his job. He should be fired anyway. Are people forgetting that this is the same Chief who played with Joe Carollo? I believe this blew up, and the new mayor said he fixed it. Firing him is that simple. He’s a terrible chief who his cops hate.