‘Oversight’ blamed for police detail that lingered outside ex-Miami mayor’s home

An “oversight” afforded Miami’s former mayor a few extra days of taxpayer-funded police security at his private residence after he stepped down from office last week, according to the city’s police chief.

Francis Suarez left office on Dec. 18 after eight years as Miami’s mayor, making way for newly elected Mayor Eileen Higgins. But the police unit camped outside his Coconut Grove home didn’t leave for nearly a week.

That was a mistake, Police Chief Manny Morales said Wednesday in a statement to the Miami Herald.

“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,” Morales said.

Morales said the unit was pulled once the issue was brought to his attention, calling it an “oversight.” He did not say when or how he learned of the mistake. A police spokesperson did not immediately respond to the Herald’s request for additional information.

Miami’s elected officials receive protection from a team of sergeant-at-arms, officers trained to escort and guard the city’s commissioners and elected officials. But Suarez’s reliance on Miami police as a security detail at times drew criticism. He traveled internationally with a police escort and was accompanied by officers during his short-lived presidential campaign.

During Suarez’s tenure, Morales said the mayor’s police detail was related to “a concerning escalation in harassment and threats towards public servants across our nation.” He said the level of protection was in “alignment with national best practices.”

Suarez declined to comment on Wednesday when reached by the Herald. But on Friday, the day after Higgins was sworn in, Suarez confirmed that a police officer was still parked outside his home. He said he had not requested the continued presence and was unsure how long it would remain.

READ MORE: Being mayor was good for Francis Suarez. Was it good for Miami?

“The car is out there now,” Suarez said. He said he assumed that “one day I’m going to wake up and it’s not there.”

Miami Herald staff writer Tess Riski contributed to this report.