Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz stepped into the Board of Directors meeting of The Children’s Trust on October 20, 2025, with a message that resonated far beyond law enforcement.

“I’ve been with Miami-Dade Police for nearly 30 years,” she began, her voice steady but heavy with experience. “The worst cases I’ve ever worked - every single one - had to do with children. When trauma touches a child and their family, it’s the worst kind of heartbreak.”

Cordero-Stutz praised The Trust’s work, highlighting Trust-funded providers and partners like Kristi House and the Children’s Bereavement Center. “They help us do our job without causing further harm. How do you explain death to a child? How do you support them through that? These are the hardest things - and the most important - to get right.”

Cordero-Stutz is the first Hispanic American woman to serve as sheriff in Florida. She pledged to continue working with The Trust for the benefit of all children and families in Miami-Dade.

Board Member and Circuit Community Development Administrator at the Florida Department of Families Gilda Ferradaz thanked the sheriff’s office for their close collaboration on special victim cases. Cordero-Stutz responded with humility and resolve. “Now, as sheriff, I get to say thank you. The work you do is so meaningful - I'll be forever grateful, both as a detective and now as sheriff even more so.”

She opened the floor to feedback, emphasizing her new role’s legislative power. “I never imagined the seat would allow me to help mold our state. It’s incredibly powerful.”

Looking ahead, she outlined initiatives to expand youth engagement before trouble begins - through after-school programs, summer camps, and the Police Athletic League (PAL) program. She also pledged stronger support for school board police via the Priority Response Team, focused on school safety.

Providing additional resources and early intervention were key themes. “We’ve grown our victim advocate program to 27 advocates. Our crisis response unit pairs trained deputies with civilian counselors. If we identify issues early, we can keep kids moving forward.”

Trust Board Chair Ken Hoffman closed the meeting with optimism: “We look forward to many partnerships with the sheriff’s office to help children and families in Miami-Dade.”

Cordero-Stutz nodded. “We’re here to serve you - how you want to be served.”