It is not everyday that a retired veteran from a massive department like Hialeah decides to suit up again for a village of roughly 2,000 people. Most guys in that position are looking for a fishing boat and a hammock. Not Benny Merino. When the news hit that Benny Merino El Portal PD was more than just a name on a reserve list, people started paying attention to the tiny, tree-filled sanctuary nestled between Miami and Miami Shores.
The Village of El Portal isn't your typical South Florida concrete jungle. It is a designated bird sanctuary with winding roads and a very particular sense of community. Policing here is intimate. You can't just be a badge; you have to be a neighbor. Merino seems to have understood that early on, moving from a retired status into a role that has fundamentally changed how the El Portal Police Department (EPPD) operates.
From Hialeah Retirement to the El Portal Front Lines
Benny Merino didn't just appear out of thin air. He brought decades of grit from the Hialeah Police Department. If you know anything about South Florida law enforcement, you know Hialeah is a different beast—high volume, high intensity, and constant action. Transitioning from that to El Portal is a massive gear shift.
In April 2022, Merino was part of a strategic wave of hires by the Village. The goal was simple: bring in "old school" experience to stabilize a small department. He was sworn in alongside other heavy hitters like Rene Gutierrez and Ricardo Chavez. These weren't rookies. They were seasoned professionals looking to give back.
The Rapid Ascent to Deputy Chief
Some people join reserve programs just to keep their certifications active. Merino clearly had a different plan. By 2023, he was already holding the rank of Captain, representing the department at high-level press conferences alongside State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle. This wasn't just ceremonial. He was deep in the tactical and administrative weeds.
By October 2025, the trajectory hit its peak. The Village Manager’s report confirmed a major move: Benny Merino El Portal PD Captain was promoted to Deputy Chief.
What makes this interesting is the "Non-Compensatory" tag he carried for a long time. Basically, he was doing the heavy lifting out of a sense of duty before transitioning to a full-time, permanent fixture in the department's leadership. That kind of commitment is rare. It’s the sort of thing that builds immediate trust with a Village Council that is always watching the budget.
Why the Benny Merino Move Matters for El Portal Residents
Small village police departments often struggle with a "revolving door" of young officers. Kids get their training in a small town and then bolt for the higher paychecks in Miami-Dade or Miami Beach. Merino represents the opposite of that trend.
Stability is the keyword here. When you have a Deputy Chief who has already "seen it all," the department's temperament changes. It becomes less about hitting quotas and more about community preservation. Residents in El Portal care about noise ordinances, the safety of the "Tot Lot," and keeping the bird sanctuary vibes intact.
Real-World Impacts Under Merino’s Leadership
Under the leadership team including Chief Alex Mendez and Deputy Chief Merino, the EPPD hasn't just been sitting around. They’ve been aggressive about modernization. We are talking about:
- Grant Acquisition: Securing HUD/CDBG funds for physical infrastructure like impact windows and generators for the station.
- Equipment Upgrades: Finally getting bulletproof vests for all full-time officers—a basic necessity that small departments often struggle to fund.
- Community Presence: Coordinating the annual Christmas Carol-Van and making sure the police presence feels like a service, not an occupation.
Honestly, it's a bit of a balancing act. You have to keep the "small town" feel while maintaining the tactical readiness of a modern force. Merino’s background in Hialeah likely makes the tactical side second nature, allowing him to focus more on the "softer" side of community policing that El Portal thrives on.
The Challenges of Policing a "Hidden" Village
El Portal isn't exactly a high-crime corridor, but it sits right next to areas that can be. This creates a unique pressure on the Benny Merino El Portal PD leadership. They have to protect the boundaries of a quiet residential enclave without becoming a "fortress."
There’s also the issue of infrastructure. For years, the El Portal Police Department operated out of facilities that needed a lot of love. Merino’s tenure has overlapped with a period of significant renovation. We're talking about new AC units, roof repairs, and digitization of records. It’s not flashy work, but it’s the work that keeps a department from falling apart.
Addressing the Noise and the Nuisance
One of the more localized "battles" Merino and the team have faced involves Skatebird Miami and the ongoing noise complaints from residents. It sounds minor to an outsider, but in a village where people pay a premium for peace, it’s a frontline issue.
Merino’s role involves navigating these disputes—working with property managers, engaging noise survey contractors, and trying to find a middle ground between local business growth and resident sanity. It requires a diplomat's touch, not just a handcuffs-and-siren approach.
What the Future Looks Like for the EPPD
With Benny Merino now transitioned into a full-time Deputy Chief role as of late 2025, the department is clearly signaling a long-term commitment to his leadership style. This isn't a temporary fix; it’s a foundation.
For the residents of El Portal, this means a few things are likely to stay consistent:
- High Standards of Training: Expect more tactical breach and shield training sessions. Merino knows that even in a quiet town, you have to be ready for the worst-case scenario.
- Resourcefulness: Small departments have to be scrappy. Look for more state legislative appropriations and grant-writing efforts to keep the department funded without spiking local taxes.
- Veteran Mentorship: New officers coming into El Portal now have a Deputy Chief with a career’s worth of wisdom to draw from. That is a massive recruiting draw.
The story of Benny Merino El Portal PD is really a story about the "second act." It’s about a career law enforcement officer who could have stayed retired but chose to help professionalize and stabilize a small-town force.
Actionable Takeaways for the Community
If you live in or around El Portal, or if you're just following local government trends, there are some practical ways to engage with this "new era" of the police department:
- Attend the Village Council Meetings: This is where the budget for these police grants is actually discussed. You can see the reports from Chief Mendez and Deputy Chief Merino firsthand.
- Utilize the Community Policing Programs: Whether it’s the holiday events or the neighborhood watch, these programs are more robust now than they were five years ago.
- Stay Informed via the Manager's Reports: The Village of El Portal is surprisingly transparent with their monthly reports. If you want to know exactly what Merino is working on, those PDFs are public record and full of granular detail.
The shift from a "reserve" force to a veteran-led, full-time leadership structure is the biggest change the EPPD has seen in a decade. It’s a move toward professionalization that usually takes much longer to achieve.
Keep an eye on the upcoming 2026 initiatives. With the infrastructure grants finally moving toward completion and a stabilized leadership tier, the focus will likely shift from "fixing the house" to "engaging the street." For a village as unique as El Portal, that’s exactly the kind of progress that matters.