Republican Rosie Cordero-Stutz was elected Tuesday to become Miami-Dade County's first sheriff in nearly 60 years.
Cordero-Stutz has been with Miami-Dade Police for 28 years, starting as a patrol officer, working in robbery and homicide and moving up the ranks as a sergeant, lieutenant, and major to now assistant director.
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"I will work each and every day to make certain that each and every corner of Miami-Dade feels safe," she told supporters Tuesday night.
Cordero-Stutz captured at least 56% of the vote, defeating Democrat and the current Chief of Public Safety for Miami-Dade James Reyes.
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Cordero-Stutz said her priorities involve putting more officers on the street, expanding the department's corruption unit, and developing officers' response to mental illness calls while also supporting officers' mental wellness.
Both Cordero-Stutz and Reyes received some major endorsements. Cordero-Stutz snagged a coveted endorsement from former President Donald Trump, along with the backing of many Florida Republicans including Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott. Reyes was backed by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniela Levine-Cava and former Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez.
Decision 2024
Reyes conceded Tuesday night, thanking supporters in a statement.
"My life’s work has been about public service and putting the community first, which is why I decided to run for Sheriff. Though tonight’s results are not what we worked so hard for or what we hoped, I am so grateful to my family, our dedicated campaign team, and our incredible volunteers who have done so much to fight for our shared vision of public safety and public trust," the statement read.
Why has Miami-Dade gone without a sheriff for so long?
Talmadge "T.A." Buchanan, the last person to serve as Miami-Dade sheriff, was faced with corruption allegations, which were enough for voters to pass a referendum abolishing the sheriff’s office that same year. Since then, the head of the department has been an appointed position, currently with the title of "police director."
But that changed in 2018, when Florida voters adopted Amendment 10 to the State Constitution, which prohibits counties from abolishing certain local offices, including sheriff, and requires elections for the offices.
As a result of Amendment 10, effective Jan. 7, 2025, there will be a total of five constitutional offices operating in Miami-Dade, all of which will be run independently from county government. The offices include the sheriff, the supervisor of elections, the property appraiser, the tax collector, and the clerk of the court and comptroller.
