His story is a testament to hard work, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to serve the community. Today, Ernesto aspires to be your Sheriff in Miami-Dade County, promising an era of aggressive crime fighting, justice, and safety for all. In a historic turn of events, for the first time in over 50 years, the position of the sheriff will be an elected role in Miami-Dade County. This selection will be crucial to the safety and wellbeing of all citizens of Miami-Dade County, and Ernesto is ready to rise to this challenge.

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From a young age, Ernesto demonstrated a strong spirit. While in high school, he helped support his family by working at numerous jobs including as a hospital phlebotomist, a hired hand at a farm in the Homestead area, and at flea markets in the cities of Hialeah and Opa Locka. His family's pursuit of the American dream resulted in the founding of General Appliances and Electronics, a successful company that today distributes over 3,500 different household appliances and medical-related items. Ernesto’s entrepreneurial experience honed his skills in negotiation, logistics, and business leadership. However, Ernesto's calling was in service to others. In 1987, he embarked on a 37-year-long journey with the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), the largest police institution in the southeastern United States. As a patrol officer, detective, and supervisor, he gained diverse experience, from leading investigations at the Criminal Intelligence Bureau, Economic Crimes Bureau, Intergovernmental Bureau, and the Warrants Bureau. He was also deputized as a Federal Marshal, supervising the U.S. Marshals' Fugitive Task Force. One of Ernesto's most rewarding assignments was when he was selected to participate in the first Community Oriented Policing Program (COPPS) ever to be implemented in Miami-Dade County. This initiative fostered better community and police relations, and is currently being utilized, county-wide, under the new name of Neighborhood Resource Unit (NRU). Ernesto’s role as a liaison between Nigeria's head of INTERPOL and MDPD demonstrates his ability to foster international collaboration and security.

Ernesto has shouldered significant responsibilities, including the personal protection of U.S. Presidents and Vice-Presidents, detached to the United States Secret Service (USSS) and deputized as an agent of that prestigious agency, he currently serves as a leader in the Agricultural & Environmental Crimes Section (Ag. Patrol) of the MDPD. A bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration further solidifies his deep understanding of law enforcement. As your Sheriff, Ernesto is determined to tackle some of the most distressing challenges our community faces today. He pledges a steadfast commitment to eradicate child sex trafficking and the drug pandemic, two societal plagues that demand immediate and forceful response. To realize this, he aims to establish specialized departments, staffed with professionals possessing strong intelligence backgrounds, to strategically target and dismantle these insidious criminal networks. His approach underlines the necessity for both focused expertise and community commitment in these battles.