Suspended Miami Commissioner Joe Martinez touts experience in run for MDPD Sheriff

MIAMI – Suspended Miami Commissioner Joe Martinez summarizes why he is running for Miami-Dade County Sheriff by saying, “Who I am is a cop.” 

On a one-on-one interview, Martinez, 66, told CBS News Miami he had thought about doing so since 2018 when voters brought back the county sheriff position.

“As a commissioner, I went downtown because it’s part of the job, but what I really love is the district, dealing with the people,” said Martinez. 

Martinez’s official entry into the sheriff’s race as a Republican candidate would make an already crowded field even more cluttered. He has until June 14 to qualify for the August primary.

When CBS News Miami asked Martinez what is the one issue that he can solve that nobody else can?

“It’s not so much of a platform, it’s the experience,” responded Martinez

He acknowledges that nearly all the Republican candidates are or have been law enforcement officers, just like him. 

“I also have the qualification that I was a county commissioner,” said the man who represented District 11 for nearly 20 years. He seriously believes that gives him an upper hand, experience and name recognition. 

“You have to know how to negotiate county government,” said Martinez.

“I do think Joe Martinez does have county-wide name recognition,” said Sean Foreman, political science professor at Barry University.

He says Martinez getting into the race late will not affect him, precisely because people know who he is.

“So, I think it makes him an automatic front-runner in this race,” said Foreman.

Joe Martinez says currently the Miami-Dade Police Department director answers to the mayor and commissioners. As an elected sheriff, the role would be different.

“Of course, you have to work with them, but you don’t take orders from the mayor, in saying you have to do this, you have to do that, they can request and obviously is a collaborative effort,” said Martinez. 

Martinez has a pending case in court. Prosecutors are pursuing felony charges of unlawful compensation and conspiracy, alleging he accepted $15,000 in 2017 to push a proposed ordinance that would have benefited those paying him.

“That money that was received was something a private deal when I wasn’t a commissioner in 2012. The gentleman that supposedly gave me those checks for something wrong, they’re not even going to call him as a witness,” responded Martinez. 

According to the former commissioner, the state attorney’s office is placing obstacles in the way of his political career, which he says is poised to grow.

“I believe the community has the right and the responsibility to have the choices of who to elect.”

Martinez has started to raise money for his campaign and says constituents will soon see signs saying: “Vote for Joe Martinez for sheriff.”