A third name in a week was added to the long list of candidates who could run for Miami-Dade sheriff in 2024: Former and longtime PBA President John Rivera.
His announcement came on the heels of two other big hitters: former Maj. Ignacio “Iggy” Alvarez filed papers last week and former FHP Trooper and Miami Commissioner Joe Sanchez said he was seriously considering it after much encouragement.
With a career in law enforcement spanning more than four decades, Rivera — who has also been president of the Florida State Police Benevolent Association — says he knows what it will take to guide the Miami-Dade Police Department through a successful transition to a sheriff’s office.
His slogan represents not only his physical size but also his leadership experience: “A big man for a big job.”
Read related: Attorney, ex-MDPD Maj. Ignacio “Iggy” Alvarez jumps into 2024 sheriff’s race
Rivera says it is his career-long dedication to the citizens of Miami-Dade, recent developments in the Police Department, and the urging of national and local leaders, community members, police officers, friends, and family, that solidified his decision to run.
“I have a deep love for Miami-Dade and its residents,” Rivera said last week in a statement. “This county has given me so much, and I want to continue to give back. I’m ready to work with every community and political stripe to lead the Miami-Dade County Police through this critical transition and into the next decade.”
According to a press release, Rivera’s platform focuses on guiding the department through the transition, “while continuing to make Miami-Dade a safer and equitable place for all.” He wants to improve police-community relations, root out public corruption, increase transparency and accountability, assure animal defense, protect our elderly, stop auto theft, combat HOA and Condo board fraud, and modernize the department’s technology and training. He says he will champion environmental justice and ensure civilian rights.
“I will not allow Miami Dade to deteriorate like so many other places. Here you and your loved ones will be safe on my watch”, Rivera is quoted as saying. He’ll say a lot of that kind of thing on the campaign.
During his time as head of Florida’s largest law enforcement union, Rivera negotiated several contracts with state, county, and municipal governments, dealing with line-by-line budgets to fund effective policing. He helped write and pass municipal, county, and statewide legislation that made communities safer not just in Miami-Dade but across Florida.
Read related: Joe Sanchez could join clown car of Miami-Dade sheriff candidates for 2024
But, as the longest serving president of the PBA (from 1993 to 2018), he has more experience fighting for the safety of salaries and benefits than the safety of the community –although one could say it’s the same thing.
Rivera also has experience working with local, state, and federal governments. The White House selected Rivera as a speaker at the National Executive Session of Policing and Public Safety, sponsored by the Harvard Kennedy School on Leadership and Law Enforcement. And he was appointed by two Governors to serve as a Commissioner on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission, overseeing the certification of all sworn law enforcement personnel in the State of Florida. He’s also served as a member of the Task Force on Performance and Efficiency in Miami-Dade County Government.
More importantly for the campaign, he is super comfortable on Cuban radio and local news TV shows and hosted the local Rapid Response Radio Show on 880 The Biz. The debates are going to be epic.
Read related: First candidate for 2024 Miami-Dade sheriff’s race is Miami police officer
Rivera joins a long list of wannabes for the first sheriff’s race in Miami-Dade since the 1960s, when voter abolished it after some corruption scandal. ¡Pero por supuesto! Florida voters statewide reversed that decision with a 2018 vote to reinstate the Miami-Sheriff. The growing list of candidates is now 13 hopefuls long. They are:
- Miami-Dade Police Maj. John Barrow (D)
- Former federal agent Susan Khoury (D)
- MDPD Lt. Rickey Mitchell (Ret.) (D)
- Jaspen Bishop of Homestead (R)
- Miami Police; Marion County Sheriff’s Office District Comm. Ruamen Delarua (Ret.) (R)
- MDPD Reserve Ofc. Alex Fornet (Ret.) (R)
- MDPD Maj. Mario Knapp (Ret.) (R)
- MDPD Sgt. Orlando Lopez (R)
- MDPD Ofc. Ernie Rodriguez (Ret.) (R)
- MDPD Ofc. Rolando Riera (R)
- Former Miami Commissioner and FHP Trooper Joe Sanchez (R)
- Former MDPD Maj. Ignacio “Iggy” Alvarez
- Former PBA President John Rivera
This election is Nov. 5, 2024.
Former PBA chief John Rivera wants to be the Miami-Dade sheriff now, too added by Ladra on
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After 40 years of law enforcement I don’t think there is anyone more qualified for the job. He knows how to deal with political hacks, he will eliminate public corruption and will investigate HOA theft and corruption. Take from me I served 40 years as well in Federal and State law enforcement and the Public Defender Office and every dealings I had with John he exceeded in doing the right thing. A true professional
John Rivera is much better suited to for Don of the Cosa Nostra family! He is totally unfit to represent the “public” he’s a divisive figure whose only qualification is as a defender of cops who kill…….
John Rivera would be a bad choice for sheriff. He never saw a police shooting of an unarmed civilian he did not like or a case of excessive use of police force he did not think was justified. He says he wants to go after corrupt politicians but the last time I saw Rivera he was celebrating Frank Artilles State Senate victory and look at what happened to Frank.
His confrontational style is not what we need to lead the police department.
We NEED A SHERIFF ! NOT a POLITICIAN ! We had Several MaMa’s Boys ?
It,s time for Miami-Dade’s septuagenarians to discover Mjami-Dade’s well furnished Library, to look for books of their interest, and settle into an easy chair. We’ve noticed the redevelopment of South Florida, from Hollywood to Coral Gables, passing through Downtown Miami, and the future belongs to those who will inhabit it .
Ladra, I used to love you before Hillary invited mothers of Michael Brown and Travon Martin to the DNC in 2016, and the Dems took their anti police stance. Again, I question your “journalism” as you fail to mention the subject of the article wasn’t only the President of the PBA, he was an officer first, then he was promoted to the rank of sergeant before he was voted in as President. Maybe next time you rush to push out a hit piece on a republican, take some time to include important facts. Do better.
#walkaway
Joe Sanchez is an idiot. He cheated on his wife with the daughter of another commissioner. Worse, he gave over $3 Billion of taxpayer money to demolish the Orange Bowl and build the Marlins Stadium on 40 acres of a public park. What a grifter.