Tired of being overbilled, Miami-Dade officials are set to ban a security firm from county contracts
Wackenhut says: "We are shocked that the County Manager has falsely accused us of intentionally overbilling the county."
Jeff Burnside Channel 6 Investigative Reporter said:
"Our investigation of Wackenhut continues with this blockbuster: Miami Dade County Mgr George Burgess told NBC 6 today that he is firing Wackenhut from all existing county contracts (about $20 million per year) and banning them from all future contracts with the county. He said this is as a result of the systematic overbilling and fraud mainly on the multi-year lucractive contract to provide secuirty on Metroraiol and Metromover. County will throw support behind whistleblower lawsuit against Wackenhut by fired guard that could force Wackenhut to pay as much as $100 million, 20% to the guard, fees for her attorney, and the rest to the county."
We have a Wackenhut File in our index (11 posts) and have been following this story. Thanks for giving us notice of the breaking news Jeff! So I agree with Burgess on something now...that was a quick switch from this morning. The County should have done this long ago...but hey it is never too late to do the right thing. Guess who is a lobbyist for Wackenhut: Carrie P. Meek. Kendrick Meek was their lobbyist on the Metrorail Contract and RFP in 1998-99. Other Wackenhut Lobbyists and Wackenhut's press release:
(and maybe this is why it took so long for the County to see the light, look at this list)
ARMANDO GUTIERREZ
NONE 1/28/2008
Open
SERGIO PEREIRA
NONE 1/28/2008
Open
DREW LEVINE
METRORAIL SECURITY CONTRACT 11/6/1998
Open
RENE PEDRAYES
METRORAIL SECURITY CONTRACT 11/6/1998
Open
JOSEPH BOBER
METRORAIL SECURITY CONTRACT RENEWAL 3/18/1999
Open
RENE PEDRAYES
METRORAIL SECURITY CONTRACT RENEWAL 7/12/1999
Open
ELIJAH PENDLETON
MTERORAIL CONTRACT RENEWAL 7/27/1999
Open
LESLIE A MEEK
NONE 4/15/2004
Open
LESLIE A MEEK
4/15/2004
EDDY ESQUIVEL
1/4/2005
Open
CHRISTINE L WELSTEAD
REPRESENTING WACKENHUT IN LITIGATION 1/18/2006
Open
CARRIE P. MEEK
CONTRACT SECURITY WORK IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY 5/22/2007
Open
ELIJAH PENDLETON
NONE 6/14/2007
Open
ANGELA C DE CESPEDES WENKE
REPRESENTING WACKENHUT IN LITIGATION 3/3/2008
Open
CHRISTINE L WELSTEAD
REPRESENTING WACKENHUT IN LITIGATION 4/17/2008
Open
AUGUSTO E MAXWELL
NONE 5/6/2008
Open
On April 10, 2009, G4S Wackenhut made the following statement:
"We have just recently received the County Manager’s memorandum along with the final audit report from the Miami-Dade Audit and Management Services (“AMS”) Department. We will be reviewing the final audit in detail and will respond accordingly.
However, we are shocked that the County Manager has falsely accused us of intentionally overbilling the county. AMS has admitted that it deviated from generally accepted auditing standards, yet the County Manager has stood behind this inaccurate report and his actions will have far-reaching implications involving the public’s safety and security.. G4S Wackenhut is the premier security solutions provider and has a proven record of service excellence with the County’s transit, juvenile assessment centers, and special taxing districts. AMS, with a history of mismanaged audits, has ignored the mountain of evidence provided to refute the serious allegations.
The County’s audit department has continually ignored and refused to acknowledge the compelling evidence presented to them by G4S Wackenhut. The County has turned down our request for an unbiased and competent third party review of the audit to resolve the matter with our assurance we’d stand by the decision; instead, they have decided to be the judge, jury and executioner.
The County Manager’s allegation that the County was intentionally overbilled is false and has not been substantiated, even after their own 3-year investigation. His decision to cover up the facts and not continue doing business with G4S Wackenhut is based on our refusal to meet his demand to pay over $3.2 million because we will not be held hostage and will vigorously defend our position and integrity. Experts have substantiated our contention that the AMS report is based on a grossly biased and fatally flawed audit investigation and this should cause the citizens of Miami-Dade County great concern. It will be harmful to all our employees assigned to county contracts who proudly perform their responsibilities with courtesy and professionalism; the safety and security of the public at large by lowering the standards expected of security personnel; and, our company who has nearly a two-decade track record of service excellence with the County.
Until we have the opportunity to evaluate all options – including legal remedies – and provide an appropriate response we can not comment any further. A press conference will be held in the very near future to answer all questions. G4S Wackenhut has shown great restraint through this arduous and frustrating process and we look forward to revealing what actually has been going on throughout this process to the citizens of Miami-Dade County."
Okay Wackenhut: Spill the beans! We citizens can't wait to hear it. And, while you are at it, tell us why are you changing your name to G4, phasing out Wackenhut?
13 comments:
They have a long list of lobbyists including Leslie Meek. Who's not on the list? We can expect them to be added with the County's announcement.
Typical. Any time a criminal wants to take taxpayer money from the dimwits at Miami-Dade County they hire lobbyists. Watch what happens, Wackenhut will hire dwarf David Samson and then George Burgess and Carlos Alvarez will extend Wackenhut's contract and give them a pay raise.
They must have pissed-off George or Carlos. Wonder who the new crooks will be.
They have (or did) the Juvenile Assessment Center contract... The JAC needs specially trained guards.
This Wackenhut thing has been going on forever... years and years... why did it take so long for the county to get off their rears??
I think they were bought out by a foreign entity.
Could it be that the county finally canned Wackenhut because there are other security companies ready to bid on the contract? I heard one of those is Joe Martinez' company. Instead of hiring "guard attendants" why don't they hire more police officers, well trained to protect the public. The Wackenhut guards were always sitting by the gates making sure people paid their fare, nothing else!
just who do you think the company awarded the contract will hire for staff? the same wannabe cop dimwits who work for Wackenhut today..
maybe Fred Taylor, former police chief has a security agency, he is the guy that Alvarez replaced
Wackenhut has been accused of padding their invoices for years. Many times Wackenhut was being paid to provide security for stations yet no guards were present. Yet the County got billed. Why did George Burgess let the stealing continue for so long?
Anonymous said...
Other security companies with their dozens of county-wide pint-sized minion agencies will do no better manning this contract-out-sourced corruption, lack of qualified armed guards (these agencies downsized their cadre's of armed guards over the years to cut overhead expenses and liability ), AND DOWNSIZED WAGES FOR AN INCREASINGLY DEMANDING AND DANGEROUS JOB! MOST GUARDS CAN SHOOT AND TRAIN, IF COMPETENTLY INSTRUCTED----BUT WAGES KEEP SINKING, AND FUNDAMENTAL PROBLEMS OF COVERAGE AND IMPROPRIETIES ARE ENDEMIC TO THE SYSTEM ITSELF. THESE SHARED CONTRACTS FAILED AT MIA IN PAST YEARS, AT PORT FACILITIES AND ALL OVER THE STATE--DON'T EXPECT BETTER SECURITY FOR ANY NEW CONTRACTS
-30 YEARS AS A GUARD TELLS ME THINGS WITHIN THE SECURITY AGENCIES IS ACTUALLY MUCH MORE DESPERATE!
THESE COMPANIES ALL NEED TO FOLD AND QUIT REPRESENTING THAT THEY ARE LEGITIMATE SECURITY PROVIDERS!
In the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on C-SPAN, today, Senator Carl Levin put the threat of security breech due to private security contractors corruption and negligence. This mirrors what I have bellowed and harped about-for years, concerning WACKENHUT G4S,AND IT'S SPIN-OFF NORTH AMERICAN ARMOR.
Embedded corruption might occur when unchecked, mismanaged funds are sequestered by management, and the quality of manpower and the training are lacking.This inquest was due to the military concerns for severe compromise of solidifying The AFGHAN RESTRUCTURING OF GOVERNMENT-HOWEVER HASN'T WACKENHUTDONE THE SAME THING D-O-M-E-S-T-I-C-A-L-L-Y WITH ITS' GOVERNMENT AND STATE CONTRACTS NATIONALLY, STATE-WIDE, AND IN MIAMI?
HAS LACK OF TRAINING AND PAYING QUALIFIED GUARDS HAS MADE THIS COMPANY ALL BUT RENDERED USELESS IN PROVIDING A USEFUL SOLUTION TO REAL SECURITY NEEDS? THE SAME MIGHT BE SAID FOR ALL OTHER OUTSOURCING AGENCIES IN SECURITY WHO TAKE ON THESE HUGE CONTRACTS---
these are far from vendetta comments, and WACKENHUT was far from legitimate and righteous in the security industry---"LIE DOWN WITH SPY MOOKS-WAKE UP WITH FLEAS THAT SHOOT GUNS WITH SILENCERS....!"
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