If you thought the Underground Railroad from Miami-Dade to the city of Miami was slowing down, think again.
With Police Chief Manuel Morales announcing he’ll retire in October — or sooner, depending on how the winds blow (more on that later) — all eyes 
turn to the man now holding the keys to City Hall: James Reyes. The city manager, who came from the county with the new mayor, will be responsible for choosing a new top cop. The city commission will have to approve, of course. But Reyes is the one making the pick.
And las malas lenguas are already whispering that the shortlist may look a lot like Reyes’ cell phone contacts.
Read related: Ralph Rosado says Miami Police Chief Manny Morales will run against him
Two names keep popping up. One is his current chief of staff, Joel Bello, a 22-year veteran of the Miami-Dade Police Department, working in narcotics and gang units, until he left at the rank of major in 2024 for a job with the Miami-Dade Corrections Department. He earned a law degree in between and was admitted to The Florida Bar in 2020, the same year he 
opened his private law firm. All while still being a cop.
In January, he became the manager’s chief of staff. But a woman who answered the office phone at Bello Law Friday said he was still working there, too.
The other is Arnold Palmer, the county’s recently minted public safety director, who, not coincidentally, landed that gig right after Reyes left and, according to insiders, with Reyes’ blessing. He’s already told some union members that he’s got the job.
Call it a pipeline. Call it a pattern. Call it Miami.
Palmer’s trajectory is the kind that raises eyebrows in polite company and triggers group chats in political ones. A career cop with deep institutional knowledge, he’s long been known as an operations guy — the kind who understands deployment, strategy and the nuts and bolts of policing. But he’s not exactly known as a kumbaya leader. Critics inside the ranks say morale-building, team cohesion, and people management are not his strong suits.
He’s also got a blemish: He was relieved of duty almost 10 years ago after his son was arrested for dealing marijuana, cocaine and other drugs out of the home they shared. While Ladra is not sure he should be held accountable for his kids’ actions, there is something to say about the fact that he was oblivious to drug dealing in his own house. Or he knew and let it slide. Both are bad.
And then there’s the timing.
Palmer’s exit from the department came as Sheriff Rosanna “Rosie” Cordero-Stutz took over — whether you call it a firing or a “chance to resign” depends on who you ask. Either way, he lands on his feet at the county, in a role that he’s not the most qualified for — that person would be Emergency Management 
Director Pete Gomez — and that looks suspiciously like a resume builder for something bigger.
Like, say, Miami police chief.
If Palmer does end up crossing over, Gomez — widely seen by insiders as the more seasoned, more broadly respected public safety hand — is the name many expect to finally get the job he deserved in 2024.
Which only adds to the sense that this isn’t just about one hire — it’s about a chain reaction of power moves stretching from downtown Miami to the county line.
Then there’s Bello, the hybrid cop-lawyer who didn’t just leave the count, he followed Reyes, who ran and lost the sheriff’s race against Cordero-Stutz, to Miami. As chief of staff, Bello already controls access, messaging, and the daily rhythm of City Hall. He knows how Reyes thinks. Reyes knows how he works.
That’s just chemistry everywhere else. In Miami, that’s currency.
Read related: Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins names James Reyes warden, er, city manager
But here’s the thing: running a police department isn’t the same as running a calendar. Bello has command experience, yes. Legal 
chops, absolutely. But putting him in charge of the entire Miami Police Department would be a leap — one that would raise eyebrows well beyond the 305.
He’s probably better off staying at City Hall. The advice he’s getting is that it’s a better position. Maybe he can go for city manager when Reyes runs for the next thing, which is inevitable.
Of course, there’s another option. One that a growing number of outside observers — and a few inside City Hall — are quietly floating: Blow it all up and go national.
Bring in someone with no local baggage. No alliances. No old favors to repay. Someone who isn’t part of the Reyes orbit, the county orbit, the Morales orbit, or anybody’s orbit.
Yes, it’s risky. Miami has tried it before with Art Acevedo — and we all know how that ended. Even though he crashed and burned, it was only because he wouldn’t play nice with what he called the Miami Mafia at City Hall.
But that was way back when Joe Carollo and Alex Diaz de la Portilla still loomed large over Dinner Key. Back when outside 
chiefs didn’t just have to fight crime — they had to fight City Hall. And former Mayor Francis Suarez kind of hijacked the process, anyway.
That landscape has changed a lot since then. The mayor is new and all five commissioners are different from the ones who unanimously fired Acevedo in 2021.
Read related: Miami commission votes to oust embattled police chief Art Acevedo
So here’s the real question for Reyes: Does he go with the familiar — the trusted lieutenants who’ve already proven their loyalty? Or does he take the political risk and look beyond Miami-Dade’s well-worn bench?
Because this isn’t just about replacing a chief. It’s about whether Miami keeps hiring from the same small circle, or decides to step outside of it.
Reyes did not answer several calls to his office and his cellphone. He also did not respond to texts. Instead, he had the city spokeswoman, Helena Poleo, call Ladra back. Pero la pobre. She either doesn’t know what’s going on or she’s not allowed to talk about it.
Ladra sent eight questions by email on April 1:
- Is the manager looking inside the department or is there going to be a national search?
- Have any of the commissioners requested or mentioned a national search?
- Is there a job description?
- Has there been public notice or advertising? And if so where? And can you provide me with an example?
- Is there a shortlist?
- Have there been any applications submitted? And, if so, how many and from who?
- Have any offers been made?
- What is the timetable?
“I will follow up and get back to you,” she said on Friday.
As of the posting of this article on April 11, there was no answer to a single one of the questions.
This kind of independent, government watchdog reporting is crucial to transparency and democracy. And more so every day. Help shine a light on the darker corners of our community with a contribution to Political Cortadito. Click here. Ladra thanks you for your support.
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Helena Poleo? Doing PR? She has been in and out of the City and she has a terrible reputation. She lies and she passes on plagiarism. She spins. She is a useless hack. But Eileen Higgins hiring her is so typical.
I am a recently retired command staff member of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (MDCR), and I would like to offer perspective on James Reyes’ role in selecting the next Chief of Police for the City of Miami.
While I did not work directly with either of the two potential candidates, I did work with James Reyes, and I find his professional ascent difficult to understand. In my experience, he consistently lacked vision, direction, and the servant-leadership qualities he often claims to have demonstrated throughout his career.
My primary concern relates to Reyes’ judgment in leadership appointments, particularly his decision-making regarding key personnel. Shortly after his appointment as Director of MDCR, he brought on Sherea Green as a Deputy Director. Later, upon his promotion to Chief of Public Safety for Miami-Dade County, he appointed her as Director of MDCR.
Reyes’ decision to elevate Green raises serious questions about his judgment and leadership discernment. It is also important to note that Green was selected to lead the eighth-largest correctional system in the United States despite having been listed as a defendant in a federal civil rights lawsuit (Case No. 2018-cv-60995) alleging violation of an inmate’s civil rights. That case resulted in a $3,000 settlement. Sources familiar with her tenure at the Broward Sheriff’s Office report that she was asked to leave the agency following that case, as well as due to other performance-related concerns.
According to several credible sources within the department, morale has deteriorated to an all-time low under her leadership. Many attribute this decline to a lack of direction, ineffective management, and an inability to foster meaningful cultural improvements. Instead, her focus appears to be more centered on cultivating her social media presence than on improving operations or staff conditions.
Conventional wisdom suggests that both Bello and Palmer may have worked on and supported James Reyes’ campaign for Sheriff. Following his loss, both officers were reportedly asked to leave the Sheriff’s Office. They were subsequently given positions within Miami-Dade County, despite it being a separate entity at that time, and both appointments were too departments under Reyes’ portfolio.
The most notable of these appointments was Joel Bello as Chief of MDCR. Bello was not a career correctional officer, nor was he certified by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as such at the time of his appointment. Instead, he was permitted to attend training during county time and at county expense to obtain certification. In my experience, I have never seen this accommodation extended to similarly situated employees. According to multiple sources, there was widespread confusion regarding his role, as he had no prior experience as a correctional officer and only a limited understanding of the profession.
Given these concerns, serious consideration should be given to whether James Reyes possesses the discernment, integrity, and leadership skills necessary to be entrusted with selecting the next Chief of Police.
James Reyes lives in Broward County. He has no clue how Miami works. He has no clue the extent of the corruption. Mayor Eileen Higgins allowed scammers to buy $300 Million of land on Watson Island only paying $25 Million. That is theft. That is fraud. $275 Million was stolen. Higgins had 3 days to veto that Pardo sponsored scam and she refused. So we know Higgins works for developers and scammers.
When can we talk about the corruption at Miami dade corrections and its Director
Here you go, interesting reading, the newly enacted “Miami Police Foundation. “
Look at the registered agents.
Here are the official executive officers, directors, and registered agent for the Miami Police Foundation, Inc., based on Florida state (Sunbiz) filings:
✅ Executive officers (corporate officers)
• Erica Pratcher Morales — President 
• David Valentin — Treasurer
🧑💼 Directors (board members)
• Juan Carlos Nodal — Director 
• Eduardo Cruz — Director 
• Marc Roberts — Director
📄 Registered agent (legal contact)
• Manuel A. Morales — Registered Agent 
Wifey is the president. Oh, I got plenty.
Insider of the PD,
Not to offend you nor anyone else if you are Cuban because I am Cuban born there but IMO Cuban police Chiefs and Politicians are a disaster and the worse thing that can happen to Miami .
I heave heard horror stories by Police I know here ( I’m not Police as would last 1 shift ) like getting their butts handed to them for giving tickets to family , friends of politicians and Judges .
Having to do extra BS for the above like extra patrols of their homes , businesses, picking up their entitled punk azz drunk kids at clubs .
If you disagree with me please let me know .
I can probably write a book about all the different reasons not to bring any of these clowns, we already have a circus. Let’s get it right first: Chief Manny Morales will go down in history as the worst Chief the City of Miami Police Department has ever had. He can post about crime reduction, which is already occurring throughout. He has worked over the past year to repairs his terrible image.
He has his current wife embedded in the police department because she works for a private contractor. Have you checked the Miami Police Foundation?
James Rees is a lightweight and nothing but a puppet for a few people, just like Mayor Higgins. Bringing in the clown you mentioned in this article will continue to destroy an already decaying police department.
Palmer is a terrible person and is hated by everybody in Miami-Dade, including the police and the sheriff’s department. Obviously, everybody knows about his family, but that’s something I stay away from.
Bello’s a smart guy, and that’s why he has his law degree, but if you ask the old-timers from Miami Dade Police, they would tell you he was an empty suit.
I strongly believe there are a few inside the Miami Police Department that can do a better job than any of these brown clowns that wanna come in
One thing I’m happy for is to see Manny Morales gone, and please take your low Ethics major, Lozano, with you
Oh boy, chief of staff, Joel Bello AKA “NO Socks” Mr. double breasted suit guy.
might as well hire Barney Fife from Maybury