During one of the best moments of showing his softer side, Miami Lakes Police Major Gene Dieppa consoled a distraught woman, whose son was involved in a serious car accident.
The lady called Mayor Michael Pizzi and told him about the accident and that she needed a copy of the accident report.
“I called Major Dieppa and said the lady is very emotional and she needs a copy of the report,” Pizzi said. “I arrived at Town Hall and I see Gene hugging the lady and talking to her. There’s nothing more you can say about his character and the dedication to the Town of Miami Lakes.”
Miami Lakes paid tribute to Dieppa, the Town Commander, during last month’s Town Council meeting, as the 32-year veteran police officer is calling it a career.
Councilmembers and town staff honored Dieppa with a proclamation for his hard work and dedication to his hometown, where he was promoted to Town Commander in 2013 to lead the 42-member detached police unit from Miami-Dade.
Lawmakers said that Dieppa set the best example of community policing and he did a great job in keeping the crime rate low, while bringing the entire town together.
“He’s right in the middle of things, including making sure traffic doesn’t have a major impact on the town, and he does it because he loves being a police officer,” Pizzi said at the meeting. “He bleeds Miami Lakes and he loves his officers and he’s a great neighbor. We all consider him our best friend.”
Dieppa said he must retire because he’s enrolled into the Deferred Retirement Option Program or DROP, to make him eligible for the Florida Retirement System Pension Plan.
It’s the same plan that forced then-Town Manager Frank Bocanegra, who previously served as the Town Commander, to resign from government work.
“Had it not been for DROP, I would still be here serving this great community,” Dieppa said.
Dieppa depicted working in Miami Lakes as a humbling experience.
“This has been a great town to work with, the citizens, business owners and everybody else here have been great,” said Dieppa. “In my 32 years in law enforcement, I have worked for most of the county’s jurisdictions, but Miami Lakes is by far the best city that I have worked with.”
Dieppa's career began at the State Attorney's Office. He later became an officer with the Miami-Dade Police Department and has advanced through the ranks, serving as investigator, detective, sergeant, lieutenant and now major.
During his leadership tenure in Miami Lakes, the Police Department has experienced many advancements, an increase in the number of police officers, developed enhanced initiatives to address burglaries and thefts throughout the town, increased training and preparedness, and improved relationships within the town’s communities, said the Miami-Dade police department.
Dieppa has been able to reenergize the Police Department and advance its reputation as a respected Police Department through training, discipline, accountability and stimulating creativity and growth.
Dieppa earned his Master’s Degree in administration and is graduate of the University of Louisville Kentucky Southern Police Institute.