Rosie Cordero-Stutz (R) won the Republican primary election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff

Rosie Cordero-Stutz (R) won the Republican primary election for Miami-Dade County Sheriff on August 20, 2024.

Eleven candidates ran in the election. Three led in fundraising, endorsements, and media attention: Cordero-Stutz, Mario Knapp (R), and Joe Sanchez (R).

The general election is the first time Miami-Dade County, Florida, will elect a sheriff since 1966, when county voters passed a referendum to abolish the position following allegations of corruption. Since then, the director of the police department has been a position appointed by the county mayor.

In 2018, Florida voters passed Amendment 10, which required every county in the state to have an elected sheriff. Miami-Dade County was the only county without a sheriff in 2018, and the amendment required the county to hold an election for the position in 2024.

At the time of the election, Cordero-Stutz was an assistant director in the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) who had served in the department for 28 years. She ran on her experience and said she would “assume command on day one” if elected. Cordero-Stutz said she was “committed to strengthening partnerships between law enforcement and community organizations” and that interaction would address local issues. She said she would “establish stringent oversight mechanisms [and] transparent processes” to promote accountability. Cordero-Stutz said she would provide officers with “comprehensive training programs and continuous education,” including mental health intervention.

Knapp was a retired MDPD major at the time of the election, having served in the department for 27 years. He also campaigned on his experience. Knapp said he would ensure “the department is adequately structured, staffed, and trained” and would provide officers with resources and support. Knapp said he believes community trust in law enforcement is important and that he would create “genuine connections with residents through open dialogue, education and transparent communication.” He said he would “rigorously investigate and root out corruption” to promote trust. Knapp said he opposed homeowners associations (HOA) as an officer and would “root out corruption & fraud in all HOAs across Miami-Dade” if elected.

Sanchez was a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) trooper who had served in the agency for 37 years at the time of the election. He previously served in the U.S. Army Reserve and as a Miami City Commissioner. Sanchez campaigned on his political background, saying, “I’ve always aimed to be a leader and be the voice of our community.” Sanchez said he would provide officers with training in new technology and that “police must be on the forefront.” He said he would increase community access to mental health services and train officers in mental health intervention. Sanchez said he would promote trust from the community through “regular communication and engagement with the public, as well as by increasing police presence across our county.” He said he supported monetary bail and that he believed it led to community trust and safety.

Also running in the election were Ignacio Alvarez (R), Jose Aragu (R), Ruamen DeLaRua (R), Alex Fornet (R), Jeffrey Giordano (R), Joe Martinez (R), John Rivera (R), and Ernesto Rodriguez (R).