DORAL, Fla. – The Miami-Dade Police Department is officially under new leadership, as Alfredo “Freddy” Ramirez was sworn into office Friday as the department’s new director.
“Moving forward, I want to focus on you, the officers and the professional staff. I know that all of the hard decisions we’ve had to make –- Juan and I -– affects you. I want to create an environment where the greatness we exhibit on the outside is felt on the inside of our agency,” Ramirez told his colleagues.
The promotion comes after outgoing Director Juan Perez announced he will retire after nearly 30 years of service.
“There is something special about the Miami-Dade Police Department,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez said. “And so, you have had a tradition of excellence, you’ve been led by extraordinary people and Freddy Ramirez is just the latest example of one of those extraordinary people.”
“We’re all different, but we’re all one. We’re all the same, and it’s an honor to a part of that legacy and lead this wonderful agency,” Ramirez told Local 10 News reporter Michael Putney. “It’s a family. This department and this community is a family.”
Ramirez boasts a lengthy career with the department, rising through the ranks to become Perez’s No. 2 in command. A graduate of the University of Miami, Ramirez has spent his entire law enforcement career with the department, dating back to his days as a police officer trainee in 1995.