Miami names 7 new command staff members in police department

Miami Police Chief Rodolfo Llanes announced seven new additions to his command staff at a well-attended gathering in the auditorium of the Miami Police College Friday, which included past chiefs and Miami-Dade Police Director J.D. Patterson.

During the brief ceremony that included the city’s colorful Honor Guard and an invocation by the police department’s chaplain, Llanes quoted former Army Gen. George Patton and focused on how the department was being turned over to a new generation.

“I expect for all of you to be jealous guardians of our brand,” the chief said, reminding them, “there are no 40-hour work weeks for executive staff.”

The promotions come at a fraught time for the department, with the community upset about major crime in the north end and a string of recent murders of children including the shooting deaths of two 16-year-olds and a 10-year-old in the past month.

Promoted were:

▪ Sgt. Umset Ramos, a 10-year veteran who was a supervisor in Internal Affairs and teaches police ethics courses. He was named senior executive assistant to the chief.

▪ Sr. Executive Assistant to the chief Armando Aguilar, a 14-year cop who worked in burglary and homicide. He is now a police commander.

▪ Lt. Debbie Mills, who joined the force in 1996 and has worked in almost every department including serving as deputy commander of domestic violence unit. She is now a police commander.

▪ Lt. Richard Perez, who served in the Special Victims and Gang units and has been with Miami since 1996. He becomes a police commander.

▪ Cmdr. Alberto Alberto Jr., a 26-year veteran who has served mostly in uniform and in traffic enforcement. He becomes a major.

▪ Cmdr. Esther Farmer, a former Miami-Dade County cop who has been with Miami since 1996 and has worked in the domestic violence and economic crimes units. She was named a major.

▪ And Maj. Jorge Colina, a 25-year veteran who has served in narcotics and in the anti-corruption unit of Internal Affairs. He has been promoted to assistant chief of police.

This story was originally published April 17, 2015 at 4:25 PM with the headline "Miami names 7 new command staff members in police department."