MIAMI, Florida — In front of a packed crowd at the New World Center auditorium, Wayne Jones was sworn in Thursday morning as the first ever Black police chief in Miami Beach, The Miami Herald reported in an article on Thursday, August 31, 2023.
Jones, who was previously the department’s second-in-command, received numerous standing ovations during an emotional ceremony that culminated in him receiving a letter of support signed by President Joe Biden.
Earlier in the proceedings, Mayor Dan Gelber administered the oath of office and Jones’ father placed the police chief badge on his son’s chest.
“Today I am humbled to stand before you as the first Black police chief in one of America’s most iconic cities,” said Jones, 54, a Bahamian American who has ascended the department’s ranks over the past 27 years.
U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, who is also of Bahamian descent, called the appointment “a giant stride forward towards justice, diversity and equality.”
“I couldn’t think of anything more important that is happening in this nation today,” she said.
Jones and others acknowledged the moment’s weight given the history of racism in Miami Beach, which includes its status as a “sundown” city where Black people weren’t allowed after dark.
More recently, as a teenager learning to drive in South Florida in the 1980s, Jones said his father “warned” him to steer clear of Miami Beach police.
In laying out his vision for the department, Jones noted that data show crime decreasing in the tourist hub over the past decade. Still, he said, “some residents say they feel less safe, even when data shows otherwise.”
“It is also my job to make you feel safe,” Jones said.
Jones addressed the city’s high-profile struggle to manage spring break in South Beach in recent years, saying he would soon “begin formalizing a plan of action” to “curb criminal behavior from a very small number of people.” A pair of deadly shootings amid large crowds on Ocean Drive made international headlines this past March.
The new chief also spoke about a need to “end open-air drug dealing” in the city. And he talked about his approach to homelessness — a hot-button issue as the city’s elected officials consider new laws to crack down on sleeping outside. Miami Beach has an unsheltered homeless population of 152, according to an overnight count conducted last week, down from 235 in January.
Jones said he would “make every attempt” to offer services to unhoused people, but added: “We will not allow a criminal element to take advantage of our collective empathy.”
Thursday marked the last day on the job for outgoing Chief Richard Clements after 33 years with the department.
Clements’ salary was around $259,000, according to a city spokesperson. Jones’ salary as chief will be just over $262,000.
City Manager Alina Hudak announced the appointment of Jones in June after an interview process that was limited to internal candidates. The City Commission voted unanimously to approve the appointment in July.
See complete article in The Miami Herald at https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/wayne-jones-sworn-in-as-first-black-police-chief-in-history-of-miami-beach/ar-AA1g3rNq#:~:text=Wayne%20Jones%2C%20center%2C%20a%2027-year%20veteran%20of%20the,Thursday%2C%20August%2031%2C%202023.%20%C2%A9%20Carl%20Juste%2FMiami%20Herald%2FTNS
