Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Bermudez | Senior Airman Javier Diaz stands armed near an F-16 at Homestead Air Reserve Base,...... read more read more
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. — At Homestead Air Reserve Base, the partnership between the 482nd Security Forces Squadron and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies plays a critical role in protecting the installation and the surrounding community. For Senior Airman Javier Diaz, that relationship is the key to ensuring safety, readiness, and trust across South Florida.
Security Forces Airmen regularly work with Miami-Dade Police, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Diplomatic Security Services, Border Patrol, and other agencies that support activity on and around the installation. These organizations respond to incidents, share intelligence, and conduct joint training. Diaz said the partnership works because both sides have a common purpose.
“We work hand in hand with Miami-Dade. If an incident occurs here, we tend to call our nearest local jurisdiction, and they will come out and assist us,” Diaz said. “We are all here to do the same job. We are here to protect the base, the people, and the country.”
Many Airmen in the 482nd Security Forces Squadron also serve as civilian police officers, thereby strengthening cooperation between agencies. Diaz believes this overlap is one of the most significant advantages of the installation, as it ensures a constant exchange of updated training, new techniques, and emerging policies. He said this shared expertise is essential.
“Policies change all the time, and policies exist because something has occurred,” Diaz said. “What happens if something happens? We have to adapt to that, and that is just the way life is. We have to adapt.”
Events such as air shows, community engagement days, holiday activities, and hiring fairs provide another opportunity for the partnership to grow. These events allow federal, military, and local law enforcement to stand side by side, engage with residents, and demonstrate the collective mission. Diaz said this visibility matters because communities need to see the people behind the uniforms.
“We try to coordinate events so that we can both engage the community at the same time,” Diaz said. “Sometimes you will have the local law enforcement, federal agencies, and us participate in that event to show people who we are, what we are there for, and why.”
For Diaz, who grew up in Homestead, community trust and open communication are essential to the success of both Security Forces and their civilian law enforcement partners. That trust begins with consistent transparency and clear information whenever possible.
“Transparency and communication build the trust and the respect,” Diaz said. “If I cannot communicate with you, then how am I going to trust you and respect you. It goes hand in hand.”
Diaz also believes the partnership is a two-way relationship that benefits everyone involved. He said agencies rely on each other to accomplish complex missions that no single group could achieve alone.
“At times, we assist Miami-Dade and vice versa. Other times, we’re asked to assist DSS, CBP, and other agencies. We all have to help each other. At the end of the day, you cannot do it by yourself,” Diaz said. “Even Superman needs help.”
As the 482nd Security Forces Squadron continues to work with its law enforcement partners, Diaz hopes the local community understands the purpose behind that cooperation.
“We are here for the people,” he said. “We are guests in their town, and the only thing we can do is try to respond back by helping the community wherever they need.”
Through joint training, shared experience, and a unified mission, Security Forces Airmen and their civilian partners continue to strengthen security across Homestead and the region they serve.
| Date Taken: | 12.07.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.07.2025 14:00 |
| Story ID: | 553279 |
| Location: | HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 126 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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