Edwin Lopez was recently named the new police chief for Miami-Dade County Public Schools, officially replacing Ian Moffett who is the new Chief School Safety and Compliance Officer.
The shift in personnel is in response of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas School shooting massacre that killed 17 students and teachers in February.
With state funding, each public school will have at least one school resource officer starting with the 2018-2019 school year.
Lopez was previously the interim police chief and the School Board confirmed his nomination for the top position on a permanent basis.
He’s the first Hispanic to be named police chief for Miami-Dade public schools. Lopez has been with the Miami-Dade school district for 22 years.
The Miami native initially was a physical education teacher before he became a police officer, police sergeant, police commander and now police chief.
His law enforcement career includes school resource officer, Special Response Team member, bike patrol, Internal Affairs Unit, Backgrounds Unit and Region Commander.
He also was a detached investigator for the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office Gang Strike Force.
Lopez earned his bachelor’s and master’s degree from Florida International University.
“It’s official,” said Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho. “New police chief receives his badge.”