With 27 years of experience in the Miami-Dade Police Department, Knapp presents himself as a candidate with not only administrative experience, but also operational experience thanks to a wide diversity of positions held in the county police agency.
DIARIO LAS AMERICAS He spoke with the candidate for the sheriff’s chair. If Knapp is clear about one thing, it is that “I am not a politician” and he asked the community that before voting “for someone they know,” they first investigate the training and career of the person in whom they are going to place their trust for a position that, In his opinion, it should not be for a politician.
– ¿So thatDoes he aspire to this position? What plans do you want to carry out if he becomes the first sheriff after so many years without this position in Miami-Dade?
This is a very important position. It is the first time since 1966 that a sheriff has been elected again, but what worries me is the public safety of the county. I have two children here and we are not structured right now to put public safety first. We need many more officers on the street and that is one of the most important issues. What we see in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York or California is an unsustainable level of disorder. We need to get back to law and order in Miami-Dade.
-The position of sheriff requires someone with experience, but also someone who has the necessary contacts to reach the most important federal agencies in the country. Do you think you meet those requirements?
The last position I had was that of major. I had to manage the SWAT team, in matters such as bombs, planes, helicopters, boats, divers, trained dogs and motorcycles. But I was also in charge of a team, which is why I spent 30 days as operations commander of the police task at the Surfside buildings that collapsed. In that position I was constantly talking to the Secret Service, all the federal and state agencies, and many organizations. Before that, I was a lieutenant in the robbery area, where we worked a lot with agencies like the FBI. So, in this position of sheriff, not only administrative and command experience is needed, but also operational experience. It is extremely important to have someone who has managed all those ranks and those relationships with other federal, state and county departments.
– Do you describe yourself as a multitasking officer or ‘multitasking’ in English due to the dissimilar tasks in which you have performed?
What I always say is that no one can replace the years of experience I have. There are many who are saying that they have police experience, but in reality we have to tell the public to investigate, to be skeptical, don’t believe me, listen, do your research, because there are many who say ‘I’m a police officer’, ‘I’ve done this’, but they have not had any rank or any level of supervision in a police department. The sheriff position will be the largest machinery in the southeastern United States. It requires a person who not only knows every corner of this county, but also has the knowledge that what works in Kendall is not the same as what must be worked, for example, in Liberty City. It is important that the person who is going to manage the Office of the Sheriff has held different positions and has worked on large initiatives.
-The county experienced very complex times in the 1970s and 1980s due to drug trafficking, led by organizations such as Griselda Blanco, alias The Black Widow. Times have changed, however, drug trafficking actions are still recorded and, in fact, it is said that the Miami River is still used for this type of activity. What do you think about that aspect?
This is why there should be no political influence in the way we place our police resources on the street. I was a sergeant in the narcotics division. We had a very complete team to combat drug gangs. How is it possible that today in the United States we have such a big problem with fentanyl, that they are making it look like other pills, but it is hidden fentanyl. How is it that today in Miami-Dade County we do not have that team, which was responsible for the fight against drugs. It does not exist today because it was dismantled years ago. We also need an office that investigates, as it should, public corruption, because what exists was minimized. The message is that I don’t care if you are a police officer, if you are a commander, if you are a politician. If there are allegations of corruption, we must investigate that person and that is why we must have an office for that work.
-County residents observe that the police act when crime occurs, but many wonder where are the educational campaigns, for example, to prevent or at least reduce the number of murder-suicide cases that have taken place in weeks recent?
We have to educate the public and that is a very important job. We have not been doing this for years and it is something we need. The County passed a new policy on how police should act when faced with a person who is medicated and has weapons at home. In these cases, the police have to leave him at home, despite the risk he may pose to his neighbors or himself. If it were my son who did not take his medication and was armed, I would want the police to be there, not to come later because he is alone and there is no danger. Let’s think what can happen to his life? These types of rules should not be approved by the political climate.
-There are currently 12 Republican candidates and three Democrats running for the position of sheriff. How do you see the political environment and your possibilities against rivals?
For this reason, I once again tell the public to do their research on all the candidates, listen to everyone. I think there are only three serious candidates, I think I’m one of them. This is a police position, this is not a political position. It is not enough to say ‘I am going to support this one because I like him’, ‘I am going to support this one because I have known him for years’, ‘I am going to support this one because he is my cousin’s cousin’. This is an extremely important election and we need someone who has experience and I think that there is no candidate who has my experience, which is administrative and operational. A lot of people ask me, what are you going to do in the first 100 days? And I tell them that I don’t need 100 days. I know where the cutlery is, where the napkins are in this building. We need someone who knows from day one what they are going to do and who knows how to manage the department.
-It continues to cause controversy whether the Sheriff’s Office will have comprehensive management of the police, whether the current department should be left with some functions or whether the Department of Corrections should be left out of the sheriff’s command. What do you think about this?
Politicians always try to confuse. For this reason, I always bring something very important and that is my police badge. If we look closely, we can see that the plate says ‘Sheriff’. Of these I have had five badges because I have been an officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain in five different commands and a major. Miami-Dade has always had a Sheriff’s Office. Constitutional responsibilities have never changed. Politicians are saying it takes a politician to transition the Police Department to the Sheriff’s Office. That is not like that. The only thing that will change is that the public will be able to elect the appropriate person for that position and that the sheriff will no longer report to a politician. They are not giving us the Department of Corrections. So I want to wait until we win in November and we’re going to go to the governor’s office to tell him that we want to return that department to the sheriff’s office.
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@danielcastrope
