Miami-Dade’s Top Cop Announces Retirement

MIAMI, FL —Saying the time had come to move on to his family’s next chapter, Miami-Dade’s top cop on Friday announced his retirement effective in January.

Police Director Juan J. Perez said the agency has been planning for his succession for some time though he did not say what prompted the timing of his announcement.

“My family and I have decided that the time has come to move on to the next chapter of our lives,” he said in a statement released late Friday afternoon. “As such, I wanted to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for the opportunity to serve this wonderful community for the last 29 1/2 years, with the last four years being highlighted as your police director.”

Perez has been hard on his officers who have gone astray of the law but he has also not been afraid to show his emotions in the case officers who have been wounded under his watch.

In November, the agency came under fire when some 14 officers were among several agencies that unleashed a torrent of gunfire at a hijacked UPS truck on a Broward County highway during the evening rush hour.

Twenty-seven-year-old Frank Ordonez, the UPS driver, and the two men who took him hostage were killed in the exchange while an innocent bystander was also killed. The incident has been the subject of an investigation by the FBI and Florida Department Of Law Enforcement. In addition, the Broward County State Attorney’s Office told Patch it plans to review the actions of the officers who opened fire.

Deputy Director Alfredo Ramirez is expected to lead the agency until a successor is named.

“The Miami-Dade Police Department and our community is lucky to have many professional and committed law enforcement leaders within its ranks ready to take on any challenges that we may face,” Perez added in his statement. “I have full faith and confidence in the ability of Deputy Director Alfredo Ramirez and the department’s executive command stafff to lead the Miami-Dade Police Department going forward and into the future. I will miss you all.”

In closing, Perez said he was “forever grateful” for having been allowed to serve.