![\"Women](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Sheriff_s-Col.-3475-min-300x246.jpg\")
Within the Sheriff\u2019s Office, women comprise 25 percent of the sworn staff and 72 percent of the professional staff.<\/p>\n Within the Sheriff\u2019s Office, women comprise 25 percent of the sworn staff and 72 percent of the professional staff.<\/p>\n
March is National Women\u2019s History Month.<\/p>\n
What began in 1978 as a local Women\u2019s History Week in Santa Rosa, CA, grew into a national movement. In 1987, Congress designated March as Women\u2019s History Month, ensuring that the contributions of women would be recognized as central to the American story \u2014 not as footnotes, but as foundations.<\/p>\n
Women have shaped every corner of our society: public safety, education, medicine, business, science and government. Their leadership has strengthened families, transformed communities and expanded opportunity for generations. This month is about honoring those trailblazers \u2014 and about investing in the women and girls who will lead us forward.
I stand before this community as Florida\u2019s first Hispanic woman elected sheriff. But that title did not come easily, and it did not come overnight.<\/p>\n
I was raised in Washington Heights in a Dominican household where hard work was expected. As a teenager in Queens, I worked in a shoe store through high school and college. After earning my degree in criminal justice from Marist College, I moved to Miami with a dream of serving in law enforcement. I applied to the then Miami-Dade Police Department and waited nearly two years for my application to move forward. During that time, I kept working. I kept preparing. I refused to let delay turn into doubt.<\/p>\n
In 1996, I entered the police academy. Over the years, I worked patrol, robbery, homicide and internal affairs. I rose through the ranks \u2014 sergeant, lieutenant, major, division chief, assistant director \u2014 and on Jan. 7, 2025, I was sworn in as sheriff of the Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office.<\/p>\n
It is not always easy to be a woman breaking barriers. Bias still exists. There are moments when you may be the only woman in the room. There will be moments when someone underestimates you. Do not let that define you. Let your preparation define you. Let your integrity define you. Let your work ethic define you.<\/p>\n
At the Miami-Dade Sheriff\u2019s Office, we are doing our part. Two years ago, we launched a 12-week Women\u2019s Leadership Academy to mentor and develop women within our ranks. Mentorship matters. When someone says, \u201cI see your potential,\u201d it can change the course of a life.<\/p>\n
Within our agency, women comprise 25 percent of our sworn staff, and 72 percent of our professional staff. Nationally, women make up less than 14 percent of sworn law enforcement officers. Initiatives such as the 30\u00d730 Policing Project are working to increase that number to 30 percent by 2030, recognizing that representation strengthens public safety. Research consistently shows that women officers receive fewer complaints, use less force and build strong community trust.<\/p>\n
But this month is bigger than law enforcement. It is about every young woman in Miami-Dade County and beyond who dares to dream. Your future is not something that simply happens. It is something you build \u2014 one disciplined choice at a time.<\/p>\n
And when you rise, reach back and lift another woman with you. That is how we make history \u2014 together.<\/p>\n
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ABOUT US:<\/p>\n
For more Miami community news, look no further than Miami Community Newspapers. This Miami online group of newspapers covers a variety of topics about the local community and beyond. Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers offers daily news, online resources, podcasts and other multimedia content to keep readers informed. With topics ranging from local news to community events, Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers is the ideal source for staying up to date with the latest news and happenings in the area.<\/p>\n
This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the newspaper has exclusive Miami community podcasts, providing listeners with an in-depth look into Miami\u2019s culture. Whether you\u2019re looking for local Miami news, or podcasts, Miami\u2019s Community Newspapers has you covered. For more information, be sure to check out: https:\/\/communitynewspapers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have any questions, feel free to email Michael@communitynewspapers.com<\/a> or Grant@communitynewspapers.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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