Miami Beach has a new top cop.
Commissioners on Wednesday appointed Wayne Jones as the city's next police chief.
Jones will take over the department on Sept. 1 and succeeds Chief Richard Clements, who is retiring after more than three decades of service.
"This city is a paradise of folks who live and come here, unfortunately there are some issues we have to deal with. Some of those are drug dealing in our entertainment district," Jones said.
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
Jones, who joined the agency in 1996, is Bahamian-American and becomes the city’s first Black police chief after holding every rank in multiple areas of the department. He was appointed deputy chief in 2019.
"Chief Jones has demonstrated his commitment to excellent public service throughout his 27-year career with the Miami Beach Police Department," City Manager Alina Hudak said in a statement. "He began as a patrol officer and gained the respect and admiration of his superiors and peers as he moved up through the ranks. I am confident he will build on MBPD’s legacy and take the department to the next level."
Jones created the department’s human trafficking unit, which went on to lead Miami-Dade County in investigations and arrests for sex trafficking offenses, city officials said.
Local
As a sergeant in community affairs, he developed the structure of what would become the nationally recognized Homeless Resource Officer Program.
"I am humbled by this great honor and look forward to leading this remarkable team of men and women who wear the badge with pride," Jones said in a statement. "I pledge that the safety of Miami Beach residents, our officers, and our many visitors from around the world will always be my top priority."
Not all commissioners supported Jones' appointment however.
“I’ve never once heard a call for change or a protest or any way that we could make our current situation better, so there’s a lot of proving to do here," Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez said.
In response to the commissioner's concerns, Jones said give him six months.
