MIAMI.- With the new candidacy of republican Joe Sánchez, there are now 15 candidates for the position of sheriff in Miami-Dadeamong them 12 Republicans and 3 Democrats who are vying for the reinstated partisan position.
Sánchez, former commissioner of Miami and police officer for 36 yearsstated that its purposes include “fighting not only large and small crimes, but also public corruption, abuses in condominium associations and vehicle theft.”
“We cannot allow Miami-Dade to become Philadelphia, Chicago or San Francisco,” said who has served as a Florida Highway Patrol officer since 1987.
According to Sánchez, it is necessary “analyze well what works and what does not work” in the county police. “The Police must be improved, with more officers on the streets and more communication with the community,” she emphasized.
-What will be your priorities if you are elected as sheriff?
My priorities are to analyze the police department as quickly as possible, see what is working and what is not working, make changes by working with everyone in the department, also working with the mayor’s office and the commissioners to improve the police department, putting more police on the streets, improving community policing, having a better relationship and communication with the different sectors of our community.
-What differentiates you from the other candidates?
I think that my experience of 36 years being a police officer for the Florida Highway Patrol, where I have had almost all the specialty positions, including the last 15 years that I have been the spokesperson for that department, so I have been the face of the department in the most difficult moments in this community. I should also mention my legislative experience. I was commissioner of Miami, one of the largest cities in South Florida, with a million-dollar budget. I was Commission President three times in the 11 years I served as Commissioner. I was also president of the state police union, there I had the great experience of not only managing contracts, but also negotiating representing the police officers and the administration. Likewise, I was president of the Downtown Development Authority and Bayfront Park, but above all I have very important experience to be able to work with the other elected officials, including the mayor of the county and whoever the mayor is at that time, and the commissioners to make a peaceful transition, without complications to be able to achieve the goals, which is what the community has asked for, which wants a sheriff’s department with a responsible person.
-Is this announcement already an officially made decision? What will happen to your position with the Florida Highway Patrol?
The department requires that when I announce my official candidacy, I have to make a decision, take a voluntary leave of absence, or leave the department. I am asking the other candidates who are running, who also represent other police departments, to do the same because it is not fair that you are working and campaigning and the taxpayers are paying the salary. I think it is the right thing to do, if one is going to be a sheriff elected by the people, he has to respect the laws and do what is morally right.
-What is your message to the men and women of the Miami-Dade police?
The Miami-Dade Police Department functions properly, it is providing good service. But we have to see where it is efficient and find things that are not working very well to improve them. My message is that you should not be afraid because you are going to lose your job. We have to work together to achieve what we want, and that is to have a community where everyone is respected, where residents and visitors do not live in fear. Something that worries me a lot is the lack of respect for the law that we are seeing every day in the news, and we are also worried about what is happening in our nation, where many cities have lost respect for law and order, such as Philadelphia, Chicago and San Francisco. We cannot allow Miami-Dade to become those cities and it is not going to become for the following reason, and that is because we are going to focus on enforcing the laws and fighting criminals in our community to ensure that everyone who lives in Miami -Dade don’t live in fear.
-What worries you most about the Miami-Dade Police Department?
It is a major concern that the Corruption Department has been dismantled or reduced. We have to combat low-level crimes and major crimes, but also public corruption, abuses and corruption in condominium and house associations. Not only that, but also vehicle theft. That’s what the people want, law and order, and they deserve it.
To consider
On the list of candidates, Ricky Mitchel, a Democrat, appears with more than 280 thousand dollars raised for his campaign. The Republican with the largest campaign funds is Rosanna Cordero-Stutz, who has reported around 33 thousand dollars.
Currently, the acting mayor is the one who has the duties of sheriff in the county. A constitutional amendment required Miami-Dade to elect a sheriff this year.
The county has not had an elected sheriff since 1966, when the position was eliminated as a result of a widespread corruption scandal. Primary elections for the office are scheduled for August 20, to be followed by general elections on November 5, 2024.
