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Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced today new changes in public safety leadership within the senior staff at the Office of the Mayor, as well as within the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) and the Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCR).
These personnel moves will provide seamless continuity of leadership for Miami-Dade’s critical public leadership teams, as we continue to ensure public safety across our community while also preparing for the upcoming transition to an elected sheriff.
After successfully leading major reforms in our Corrections Department over the last year, Corrections Director James Reyes will take on an expanded leadership role as Chief of Public Safety overseeing the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR), and MDCR. He also brings unique experience relevant to managing the constitutional officer transition from his career in the Broward Sheriff’s Office, which will be invaluable as we prepare the public safety portfolio to work with the new elected sheriff.
Interim Director of MDPD Stephanie Daniels, who has successfully led the department over the last several months as Interim Director, will become the new permanent Director – a historic milestone for our community as the first Black woman to lead the department. Deputy Corrections Director Sherea Green, who joined MDCR earlier this year after a decades-long career in the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO), will become the new MDCR Director.
Interim Chief of Public Safety JD Patterson, who has a decades-long career in public safety in and out of County government including playing a key role in the response to the Surfside building collapse, will oversee the Department of Emergency Management and the Medical Examiner as Chief of Preparedness and Forensics. Former Chief of Public Safety Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez will return to the department following his leave in a new role, Senior Advisor for Policing and Transition, focused on preparing MDPD for the transition to an elected sheriff.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of our residents and visitors, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by an extraordinary team of public safety professionals dedicated to protecting and serving Miami-Dade,” said Mayor Levine Cava. “This new public safety leadership team will ensure we are leaning on long-time expertise in our departments while also elevating proven leaders – and I’m especially proud that for the first time in Miami-Dade’s history we will have Black women at the helm of both our Miami-Dade Police Department and Corrections Department. At the same time, we are continuing to invest in strong preparations to ensure a seamless transition to an elected sheriff starting in 2025.”
The full leadership changes are as follows; the changes will go into effect Monday, November 13, and former Chief Ramirez will begin his new role January 23, 2024, upon his return to Miami-Dade County following his medical clearance.
James Reyes, Director of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department, will take on an expanded role as Chief of Public Safety overseeing the Miami-Dade Police Department, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, and the Corrections Department. Since his appointment as MDCR Director in December 2022, Director Reyes has provided a critical leadership role ushering forward much-needed forms within Corrections. As we continue to make great strides toward bringing the department into full and lasting compliance, he will take on an expanded portfolio overseeing MDPD and MDFR while continuing to guide the ongoing progress in MDCR. Reyes joined Miami-Dade County after a long and successful career in public safety in Broward County, including serving as the Executive Director of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Administration and Director of the Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Detention.
JD Patterson, currently serving as Interim Chief Public Safety Officer, will become the Chief of Preparedness and Forensics overseeing the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and the Medical Examiner. Chief Patterson has over 30 years of experience in law enforcement and is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, previously serving as MDPD director from 2013 to 2016 and Assistant Police Chief for the City of Miami Gardens. After helping successfully spearhead our important progress within MDCR, Chief Patterson will now focus on strengthening our emergency management operations while continuing to oversee the Medical Examiner department.
Stephanie Daniels, the Interim Director of the Miami-Dade Police Department, will become the permanent director of MDPD – the first woman and first Black woman to lead the agency. Daniels has dedicated the past 30 years in service to her community, joining MDPD in 1992 after serving both in the State Attorney’s Office and the Miami Police Department. In 2016 she made history when she was appointed to the position of Assistant Director of the MDPD as the first Black woman to serve in this role, and has successfully led the department as Interim Director since July.
Christopher Carothers, currently serving as the Assistant Director in MDPD over Investigative Services, will be promoted to Deputy Director as Director Daniels takes on her new role. Deputy Director Carothers has served the department for 27 years and in his new role, working alongside the new Director and entire MDPD leadership team, will ensure MDPD continues to be a model department for the nation.
Freddy Ramirez, former Chief Public Safety Officer and MDPD Director, will return to the department as Senior Advisor for the Policing and Transition. Chief Ramirez has served Miami-Dade for 25+ years in law enforcement, and in this new role will guide the department through the important transitional period ahead as MDPD continues to deliver excellent violence prevention and public safety services for our entire community.
Sherea Green, Deputy Director in the Corrections Department, will become the new permanent director of MDCR. Director Green joined MDCR earlier this year after a two-decades long career in the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO). She started her career in corrections as a typist in 1993 and rose through the ranks in the BSO, ultimately attaining the rank of Assistant Director/Major. She has played an instrumental role in helping MDCR to achieve substantial compliance with the consent decree over the last several months, and as Director will ensure the Department continues its forward progress toward lasting reform.
