In a ceremony marking the historic milestone, Miami-Dade Police Director Stephanie Valencia Daniels, the first female leader of one of the biggest law enforcement agencies in the country, took the oath of office on Wednesday. Daniels promised to lead the department with respect and honesty.
Starting as a police officer with the agency in 1992, the Liberty City native ascended up the ranks of the largest city police force in the Southeastern U.S. with nearly 5,000 workers, including 3,100 sworn officers.
Daniels, 55, stated she was “filled with a profound sense of gratitude” at the PortMiami ceremony.
Daniels, who will get a salary of $251,473, stated, “This ceremony not only marks a personal milestone for me, but a collective affirmation about sheer commitment to service (and) excellence in this community.” “Together, we will maintain the greatest standards for law enforcement and act as an example of excellence for our colleagues in law enforcement across the country.”
Daniels alluded to her faith in God and thanked Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, former Miami-Dade Police Director Freddy Ramirez, her command staff and police officers, and her husband of 36 years, Capt. Desi Daniels of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department.
Daniels told Levine Cava, “I’m committed to honoring your trust by dedicating myself to this role with integrity, passion, and diligence.”
Daniels took over for Ramirez, who resigned from his position last July after taking a gun to his own head after a fight that resulted in him and his spouse being ejected from a Tampa hotel where he was attending a law enforcement conference. Daniels was named interim director by Levine Cava on July 23, the day after Ramirez shot himself. She announced her director on Nov. 13.
Daniels’s former field training officer, retired Miami-Dade Officer Sherri Locket, talked about the director when she was first hired.
Locket observed, “She was confident but not arrogant.” “She was modest and showed respect to everyone.”
Levine Cava stated that Daniels did not become where she is because she is a woman or because she is Black. The mayor stated that she chose to select her due to her personal and professional qualities.
Levine Cava remarked, “But I do want to acknowledge that these firsts mean a lot to me, to all of us.” “This is a historic day.”
Daniels was sworn in to uphold the law and the U.S. Constitution by putting her right hand on the Bible, which was held by her husband. De’Andre and Desi Daniels, two of her three adult children, are incarcerated in Miami-Dade.