21540: (Hermantin)Miami-Herald-Liaison connects with Haitians (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>


Posted on Sun, Apr. 25, 2004



MIAMI-DADE


Liaison connects with Haitians

A crime analyst with the Northside precinct moves to Miami-Dade police
headquarters to lend a hand to media workers in South Florida.

BY TRENTON DANIEL

tdaniel@herald.com


``Sa-a se enfomasyon pou biwo-a isit,'' says Nadia Pierre, as she
distributes stapled pamphlets about Miami-Dade police department to a group
of Haitian media workers.

Translated from Haitian Creole, it means ``That is information for this
office.''

``Ou ka toujou rele la pou klarife enfomasyon,'' Pierre continues. ``You can
always call here to clarify information.''

Pierre, Miami-Dade police's new spokeswoman, was deliberately speaking in
Haitian Creole. Not since 1997, when the force had a Creole-speaking
spokesman, has the Haitian press in South Florida had a county police
liaison.

The move stems from decisions then Police Chief Carlos Alvarez and Robert
''Bobby'' Parker, then director and now chief, made about adding a Haitian
presence to the media relations bureau, which has had Nick Pimentel as a
Spanish-language spokesman.

Pierre started her new position on March 22.

Plus, the bloody rebellion that ousted President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in
February reminded local officials of Haiti's proximity to South Florida and
the deaths of some 300 people during the revolt could prompt Haitians to
flee to the United States.

''My role here is to reach out to the Haitian community and let them know
what this department is about, to keep them informed of what's going on, as
we do for any community,'' Pierre said Wednesday in the media relations
office. ``They now have the opportunity to get first-hand information. If
there's a rumor, they can call to clarify the information.''

Before moving to force headquarters at 9105 NW 25th St. in West Miami-Dade,
Pierre worked in the Northside police station, one of the county's more
crime-heavy precincts. There for 14 years, she analyzed crime reports and
patterns of habitual or career criminals. Prior to that, she worked as an
administrator in the same department, interviewing applicants and advising
staff members of personnel policies.

Her Northside colleagues applaud her relocation, saying it would benefit
South Florida Haitians.

''Nadia is very valuable to the community,'' said Lt. Garry Jeanniton, who
works in the Northside precinct and is Miami-Dade's highest-ranking
Haitian-American police officer. ``She's better suited in her new position.
She has a rapport with the community, and has contacts. . . . It was a good
move, both for her and the department.''

Now it seems Pierre's duties are much broader. In addition to fielding calls
from not only Haitian journalists but also non-Haitians -- Pierre speaks
Spanish also -- she visits crime scenes as part of her training. She also
helps track down investigation updates from other bureaus.

On Thursday, Pierre formally introduced herself to six Haitian journalists
and media workers and gave a tour of the department. Miguel Palmer, a
criminalist, helped out in trying to dispel any Hollywood depictions of
crime-fighting heroics. He showed the visitors a behind-the-scenes
laboratory for hauling in suspects: the evidence vault, firearm reference
collection and the DNA analysis area.

Vincent McBee, a fellow criminalist, held the attention of Soledad Foucauld
of Lakay Magazine and Yanick Martin of the Haitian American Historical
Society. McBee was at work analyzing crack cocaine; it was their first time
seeing the drug sans a Hollywood filter.

The police and Haitians -- whether overseas or at home -- have not always
mixed well, because of chronic police abuse in Haiti.

''The Haitians are not too confident in the police,'' Carl Auguste, a
commentator with Radio Voice of the Refugee, told Pierre during the tour.
``I hope you're able to do that [make Haitians feel more comfortable with
the police].''

Pierre, hair pulled back in a tight, signature bun, replied: ``We're trying
to help the community overcome that fear.''

Auguste later said effectively reaching out to the community could pose a
challenge for Pierre. After all, he noted, only six media workers showed up
for Thursday's tour. That, Auguste said by telephone Friday, could stem from
``a lack of enthusiasm, especially in the post-Aristide era.''

In addition to trying to curb police fear, Pierre remains active in local
politics and politicking. She oversees her own public relations and
consulting firm, Nadia Pierre & Associates, as president and CEO. She is
also vice president of the National Women's Political Caucus of Florida and
a member of the American Association of Political Consultants -- a first,
she says, for Haitian Americans.

The Pembroke Pines resident, who hails from the Port-au-Prince suburb of
Petionville in Haiti, lives with her 20-year-old daughter Nedra Nixon, a
fashion design student in Fort Lauderdale. A 24-year-old son, Dominique
Nixon, is a school teacher in Atlanta and another son, Pierre Nixon, 27, is
a firefighter in Orlando. Pierre is divorced.

Meanwhile, Pierre is working to enlighten the Haitian community about the
ways and means of law enforcement in Miami-Dade.

Said Pierre before Thursday's tour: ''Nou la pou kominate-a.'' ``We're here
for the community.''

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