Ambassador programs are used throughout the country to promote hospitality and provide additional community policing. Staff is receiving increasing feedback from businesses and stakeholders expressing concerns related to downtown and feels a pilot ambassador program will help to identify, assess, prioritize and respond to these concerns. Ambassadors interact with visitors, businesses, and residents with the long term goal and strategy of promoting positive downtown experiences by providing enhanced hospitality and security through the presence of additional organized and dedicated downtown representatives.

The DTOutlook specifically includes the CRA’s implementation of Downtown “Clean and Safe” programming, including a Downtown Ambassador program as a way to make the Downtown experience easier and more satisfying. The program will also help improve the perception of lack of safety noted in the DTOutlook through the use of this community policing innovation.

Other jurisdictions throughout the state have procured similar ambassador services to address similar downtown issues. CRA staff has reviewed ambassador programs in many of these jurisdictions and identified Mydatt Services Inc., d/b/a Block by Block’s services under its contract with the City of Miami as providing similar services to those currently desired. Both the City of Coral Gables and the Hollywood CRA have also used the City of Miami’s contract with Block by Block as a basis for their ambassador programs. CRA staff is seeking approval to enter into a contract with Block by Block for ambassador services similar to those of the City of Miami. A proposed draft contract is attached.

The proposed contract with Block by Block for downtown ambassador services is for an initial term of two years in an annual estimated amount of $725,000. The scope of work provides for ambassadors to circulate throughout the Downtown Community Redevelopment Area pursuant to a deployment schedule set by CRA staff providing safety, hospitality, and other ambassador related services as outlined in the scope of work. The deployment schedule can be adjusted to accommodate special events, holidays, inclement weather and other circumstances. The CRA staff will have daily interaction with an on-site Operations Manager provided by Block by Block who oversees the entire Ambassador Program.