Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office

{{Distinguish|Miami Police Department|Miami Beach Police Department}}

{{Infobox law enforcement agency

| agencyname = Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office

| commonname = Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office

| abbreviation = MDSO

| patch = Patch of the Miami-Dade Police Department.png

| patchcaption =

| logo = Seal of the Miami-Dade Police Department.png

| logocaption = Seal of the Miami-Dade Police Department

| badge = Badge of the Miami-Dade Police Department.png

| badgecaption = Badge of an MDPD supervising officer

| flag =

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| formed = {{start date and age|1836}}

| preceding1 =

| employees = 4,900+

| volunteers =

| budget =

| country = United States

| countryabbr = U.S.

| national =

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| divtype = U.S. state{{!}}State

| divname =

| subdivtype = County (United States){{!}}County

| subdivname = Miami-Dade County, Florida

| map =

| mapcaption =

| sizearea = {{convert|2,431|sqmi|km2|abbr=on}}

| sizepopulation = 2,751,796

| legaljuris =

| governingbody =

| overviewbody =

| constitution1 =

| police = Yes

| local = Yes

| headquarters = 9105 NW 25th Street Doral, Florida, U.S.

| sworntype = Deputies

| sworn = Approximately 3,200

| unsworn = Approximately 1,700

| electeetype =

| Director =

| minister1pfo =

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| chief1name = Rosie Cordero-Stutz

| chief1position = Sheriff

| parentagency =

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| stations = 8

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| vehicle1type =

| vehicles1 = 4,000+

| boat1type = Boats

| boats1 = 6

| aircraft1type = Airplane

| aircraft1 = 2

| aircraft2type = Helicopter

| aircraft2 = 4

| animal1type =

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| website = {{url|www.miamidade.gov/police}}

| footnotes =

}}

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office (MDSO), formerly known as the Dade County Sheriff's Office (1836–1957), Dade County Public Safety Department (1957–1981), Metro-Dade Police Department (1981–1997),

and Miami-Dade Police Department (1997–2025), is a law enforcement agency serving Miami-Dade County, Florida. The department is still often referred by its former name, the Metro-Dade Police or simply Metro.

The MDSO is the largest sheriff’s office in the southeastern United States and operates out of eight district stations throughout Miami-Dade County. MDSO has several specialized bureaus and is internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and by the Florida Commission for Law Enforcement Accreditation at the state level. MDSO’s headquarters are located in Doral, Florida.{{Cite web|url=http://www.miamidade.gov/police/|title=Miami-Dade Police|website=Miami-Dade County|access-date=2016-04-18}}

Miami-Dade Sheriff’s deputies wear taupe/brown uniforms. Their vehicles are green and white.{{Cite web|url= https://www.miamitodaynews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Police-Chief-Juan-Perez012.jpg|title=Miami-Dade Police Director in front of a police car|website=Miami Today News|access-date=2023-11-22}}

History

File:Miami - Dade police car 01.jpg parked outside Hard Rock Stadium.]]

File:Eurocopter AS 350B3 Ecureuil, United States - Miami Dade Police Department JP7612234.jpg

The Dade County Sheriff's Office was created in 1836 to serve the newly created County of Dade, which originally consisted of the area comprising the present-day counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Martin. In the early years, the entire area was policed by as few as three deputies on horseback, and Dade's sheriffs were appointed by the governor. In 1899, the office of the sheriff became an elected position. By 1915, the jurisdiction area had been reduced to its present size of approximately 2,139 square miles.{{cite web |date =June 30, 2006 |url=http://www.miamidade.gov/mppa/library/pdf_project_files/2004/PoliceCorrectionsMergerAnalysis.pdf |title=Analysis of Potential Merger of the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation |publisher=Miami-Dade County (June 2006) |access-date=June 16, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810221403/http://www.miamidade.gov/mppa/library/pdf_project_files/2004/PoliceCorrectionsMergerAnalysis.pdf |archive-date=August 10, 2007}}

In 1957, the metropolitan form of government was established, and the Dade County Sheriff's Office was subsequently renamed the Public Safety Department. The Public Safety Department's organizational structure, as determined by the metropolitan charter, included responsibility for police and fire protection, the jail and stockade, civil defense, animal control, and motor vehicle inspection. In 1960, the Public Safety Department also assumed responsibility for police operations at the Port of Miami and Miami International Airport. By 1966, the Public Safety Department had approximately 850 sworn officers in its ranks. That year, a long-standing controversy over the selection/election procedure for choosing a county sheriff was resolved by voter mandate. Subsequently, non-elected sheriffs were appointed by the county manager as "Director of the Public Safety Department and Sheriff of Metropolitan Dade County."

In 1973, the responsibility for running the county's jails was transferred to the newly created Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. By that year, the Public Safety Department had also been divested of all other non-police responsibilities to concentrate entirely on law enforcement services. In July 1981, the Public Safety Department was renamed the Metropolitan-Dade Police Department. In September 1997, voters decided to change the county's name to Miami-Dade County. As such, the department was renamed as the Miami-Dade Police Department the following December.

=Transition to a sheriff's office=

In 2018, Florida voters—including 58% of Miami-Dade voters—approved a constitutional amendment requiring every county in the state to elect a handful of "constitutional officers," including a sheriff.{{cite web | last=Hanks |first=Douglas |date=2023 |title=Fla. Legislature passes bill letting new Miami-Dade sheriff take over county police in 2025|url=https://www.police1.com/chiefs-sheriffs/articles/fla-legislature-passes-bill-letting-new-miami-dade-sheriff-take-over-county-police-in-2025-Tz3EFGP3FFxCdY0g/}}

On November 6, 2024, MDPD Assistant Director Rosie Cordero-Stutz became sheriff-elect after defeating Miami-Dade's Chief of Public Safety James Reyes. Cordero-Stutz assumed office on January 7, 2025. The transition to a Sheriff's Office is expected to be complete in 2028 per House Bill 1595.{{cite web |last=Catrion Gregg |first=Elise |date=2024 |title = Cordero-Stutz decisively wins Miami-Dade's first sheriff race in over 60 years |url=https://www.wlrn.org/government-politics/2024-11-05/rosie-cordero-stutz-miami-dade-sheriff}}

=Controversies and incidents=

In August 1968, roughly coinciding with the Republican National Convention in Miami Beach, rioting broke out in Liberty City. When the situation got out of control, Florida Highway Patrol and National Guard were dispatched. Claiming snipers were attacking them, the police killed three civilians. No one was injured by the sniper fire, and no weapons were found.{{cite thesis |type=MA|last=Tscheschlok |first=Eric G.|date=1995 |title=Long Road to Rebellion: Miami's Liberty City Riot of 1968|publisher=Florida Atlantic University}}{{rp|202}}

On September 13, 2007, four Miami-Dade Police Department officers were shot by a suspect with an AK-47, resulting in the death of one officer, Jose Somohano. Another officer suffered a serious leg injury. The suspect, Shawn Sherwin Labeet, fled the scene but was found in an apartment complex later that day. He was cornered in the bathroom at a pool house by the Miami-Dade Police Special Response Team officers (equivalent to SWAT). He was shot and killed when he refused to drop the pistol that he was holding.

On the morning of Thursday, January 20, 2011, two Miami-Dade Police officers were shot and killed by a homicide suspect, Johnny Sims. According to Miami-Dade Police Department Chief James Loftus, the MDPD fugitive warrant team was assisting the U.S. Marshals Service at Miami in apprehending the suspect, for whom a murder warrant had been issued.{{Cite web |title=Miami-Dade Police Department, FL |url=https://www.odmp.org/agency/2473-miami-dade-police-department-florida |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP)}} Police arrived at the suspect's mother's house and made contact with a member of the family, when the suspect surprised police by opening fire.{{Cite web |last=Elfrink |first=Tim |title=Two More Florida Cops Killed While Miami Mourns Roger Castillo and Amanda Haworth |url=https://www.miaminewtimes.com/news/two-more-florida-cops-killed-while-miami-mourns-roger-castillo-and-amanda-haworth-6560066 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Miami New Times |language=en}} Detective Roger Castillo, a 21-year veteran, was shot in the head and died at the scene, and Detective Amanda Haworth, a 23-year veteran, was shot several times and taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital's Ryder Trauma Center in grave condition where she underwent emergency surgery there, but died shortly thereafter.{{Cite web |date=2011-01-20 |title=2 Miami-Dade Cops Killed Serving Murder Warrant - CBS Miami |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/miami/news/breaking-2-law-enforcement-officers-shot-in-miami/ |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=www.cbsnews.com |language=en-US}} The suspect, Sims, was shot and killed by another detective at the scene.{{Cite web |date=2011-01-20 |title=2 officers, suspect killed in Miami shootout |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna41175703 |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

In December 2019, the Miami-Dade Police Department came under scrutiny after a shootout in Miramar. MDPD officers, as well as police officers from other law enforcement agencies, responded against the robbers who carjacked a United Parcel Service van and took the driver hostage. After a car chase, the MDPD killed the two suspects, the UPS driver, and an innocent bystander. The department received criticism for its officers' behavior, which included firing at open traffic and using civilian vehicles for cover.{{cite web |first1=Andrew |last1=Boryga |first2=Lisa J. |last2=Huriash |first3=Mario |last3=Ariza |first4=Tonya |last4=Alanez |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/broward/miramar/fl-ne-ups-truck-shootout-protocol-20191207-jjs6xjjlf5dzrku7gczqc6zssy-story.html |title=Did cops in shootout blow it and put lives at risk? The victim's family demands answers. |website=Sun Sentinel |date=December 6, 2019 |access-date=March 3, 2025 |url-status=live}} A total of 19 officers fired guns during the shootout, including 15 MDPD officers, 3 Miramar Police Department officers, and 1 Pembroke Pines Police Department officer.{{cite web |first1=Ian |last1=Margol |first2=Andrea |last2=Torres |url=https://www.local10.com/news/local/2020/03/06/fdle-20-officers-fire-weapons-during-shooting-killing-4-including-ups-driver/ |title=FDLE's update on probe: 20 officers fire weapons during fatal shooting |website=Local10.com |publisher=WPLG |date=March 6, 2020 |access-date=March 3, 2025 |url-status=live}}

Organization

MDSO's Sheriff stations include:"[http://www.miamidade.gov/police/contacts-us.asp Contact Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office]." Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office. Retrieved on September 8, 2012.

Northwest District Station (Miami Lakes)
Northside District Station (West Little River)
Midwest District Station (Doral)
South District Station (Cutler Ridge)
Kendall District Station (Kendall)
Intracoastal District Station (North Miami Beach)
Airport District Station (Miami International Airport, Florida)
Hammocks District Station (The Hammocks)

MDSO's Contracted municipalities include:

Demographics

Breakdown of the makeup of the rank and file of MDSO:

Male: 75.58%
Female: 24.42%
White: 20.02%
Hispanic: 58.11%
African-American/Black: 20.58%
Other: 1.29%

Ranks and insignia

class="wikitable"
Title !Insignia
Sheriff \| Image:4 Gold Stars.svg
Undersheriff \| Image:3 Gold Stars.svg
Assistant Sheriff \| Image:2 Gold Stars.svg
Division Chief \| Image:1 Gold Star.svg
Major \| Image:US-O4 insignia.svg
Captain \| Image:Captain insignia gold.svg
Lieutenant \| Image:US-OF1B.svg
Sergeant \| File:South Carolina Highway Patrol Sergeant Rank Chevrons.svg
Deputy Sheriff/Detective \|

class="wikitable"

Title

!Insignia

Sheriff

| Image:4 Gold Stars.svg

Undersheriff

| Image:3 Gold Stars.svg

Assistant Sheriff

| Image:2 Gold Stars.svg

Division Chief

| Image:1 Gold Star.svg

Major