Cocaine Cowboys To Gangster Eating Alligators, Sgt. Bert 'Maverick' Gonzalez Of The Miami-Dade Police Dept. & The Real Greatest Show On Earth! (Part One)

On today’s episode of the Cops and Writers Podcast, I have with me Bert “Maverick” Gonzalez for this special two-part interview that will conclude next Sunday.

Sergeant Bert “Maverick” Gonzalez served the South Florida community for 37 years with the Miami-Dade Police Department, retiring in 2020. His career included assignments in uniform patrol, narcotics, airport and port security, and crime scene investigations. Following 9/11, he became a national leader in port security operations. A highly respected police instructor, Gonzalez has trained over 25,000 officers in areas such as crisis intervention, active shooter response, major scene management, tactical driving, and crowd control. A recipient of the Bronze Medal of Valor and two Life-Saving Awards, he has earned over 60 commendations throughout his career. Gonzalez is the author of The Real Greatest Show on Earth and hosts Sgt. Maverick–The Podcast, where he discusses policing, politics, and life.

I loved talking to Maverick about being a cop in the Miami area back when it was literally the Wild West due to the surge in population and drug-related crimes to present. He continues to reinvent himself and is a genuinely entertaining guy. Please enjoy part one of my interview with Sgt. Maverick.

 

In today’s episode, we discuss:

·      How Bert got the nickname Maverick.

·      Working as a cop in the Miami area during a population boom. With that came a boom in crime. Cocaine Cowboys and the Mariel Boatlift (125,00 Cubans in one day). What was going through his mind as a new cop with all of this occurring?

·      His biggest drug bust and money seizure.

·      The difference between the Cuban, Colombian, Jamaican, Russian, and Mexican drug dealers?

·      The growing pains for the department during