NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Rosie Cordero-Stutz was sworn in as the new Miami-Dade County Sheriff Tuesday morning, making her the first person to hold this position in over 60 years.
The swear-in ceremony was held at 10 a.m., at the Miami-Dade College School of Justice followed by a large procession outside.
The historic ceremony was packed with members of law enforcement from all across South Florida.
Cordero-Stutz’s family was at her side as she was sworn in.
She joined the MDPD back in 1996, and for the last 28 years she has worked her way up the ranks from patrol officer to most recently, the assistant director of investigative services.
At the ceremony, Cordero-Stutz was widely celebrated for being an advocate for the community, among her priorities, she said are law and order, accountability, community engagement and transparency.
“I am deeply humbled by the trust bestowed upon me to initiate this new chapter in our community. I am also keenly aware of the significant responsibility and challenges. I stand before, ready to lead as Miami-Dade County Sheriff,” said Cordero-Stutz. “We need to work with our community in order to achieve the ends that we all want which is the safety of our children.”
She is also the first female sheriff the county has had.
“Having been someone who’s grown up in law enforcement, as a woman, always kind of, you’re always a minority right in addition to the career and the profession, so to be elected to lead this next transition is a pretty amazing thing,” she said.
Moments after the sheriff was sworn in, attendees watched the retirement of the police department’s flag, followed by the unveiling of the new Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office flag.
This moment of change all comes as Miami-Dade County voted to reinstate the sheriff’s office back in 2018.
“I’m proud of everything that I’ve been able to accomplish, but I’m also so proud about what the future holds for the Sheriff’s Office for Miami-Dade County,” said Cordero-Stutz.
As the agency transitions from the Miami-Dade Police Department, the now sheriff’s office, unveiled a new badge Monday and changed the signage outside police headquarters.
The complete transition will take about a few years to complete because there is a lot to change from their patrol cars to their badges.
Meantime, further north, Broward County Sheriff Gregory Tony was sworn in to a second term on Tuesday.
Voters re-elected Tony as he defeated two challengers in November’s election. The democrat has held this position since 2019.
He has long said that his focus is to build unity instead of division.
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