By Legacy Editorial Staff
LAUDERHILL, Fla. — Lauderhill is turning to a veteran South Florida law enforcement executive with more than a quarter-century of experience to lead its police department through a significant change in leadership.
Angel Rivera, assistant police chief in North Miami, has been selected as Lauderhill’s next police chief. He will take command Nov. 2, succeeding Chief Constance Stanley, who is retiring in November after 32 years of service to the city.
City Manager Kennie Hobbs Jr. selected Rivera following a national search and a two-day finalist process that included residents, elected officials, police command staff and city administrators.
Rivera brings more than 26 years of law enforcement experience and a résumé that includes executive management, investigations and tactical operations. In North Miami, he shares oversight of a $39 million police budget and responsibility for departmentwide performance and accountability.
Lauderhill officials said the North Miami Police Department recorded all-time lows in Part I crimes under Rivera’s command. He also developed and oversees the department’s five-year strategic plan.
“All three of our finalists were exceptionally qualified and ready to lead a department of this caliber,” Hobbs said.
But Hobbs said Rivera distinguished himself through an approach that views crime reduction and community trust as complementary goals.
“He has led a full-service agency, he has driven crime down while strengthening the trust of the community he serves, and he understands that those two things are not in competition with one another,” Hobbs said. “That is exactly the leadership this city wants and deserves.”
Rivera served as North Miami’s interim police chief in 2023, overseeing departmental operations and coordinating with the city manager and outside agencies.
He has advanced through nearly every level of the department. As a police major, Rivera modernized North Miami’s CompStat reporting system to strengthen crime-trend analysis and data-driven deployment. As a commander, he led the investigative section when it achieved what Lauderhill officials described as the highest case clearance rate in department history.
Rivera also chaired the Region 7 Gang Initiative. As SWAT commander, he wrote the department’s Active Shooter Action Plan and served as incident commander during barricaded-subject and hostage-rescue operations.
Rivera holds a master’s degree in public safety from the University of Virginia and a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration from Florida International University. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Senior Management Institute for Police at Boston University. He also teaches criminal justice as an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College.
His appointment follows a public selection process that narrowed the national search to three finalists: Rivera, Easton L. McDonald and Richard Perez.
During the Sept. 8-9 finalist process, the candidates met with Mayor Denise D. Grant, Vice Mayor Richard Campbell and Commissioners Melissa P. Dunn, John T. Hodgson and Sarai “Ray” Martin. They also met with Stanley, police command staff and the city’s executive team.
Residents had an opportunity to question and evaluate the candidates during a public meet-and-greet.
“This was a team effort from beginning to end,” Hobbs said.
Rivera acknowledged that he will be following a chief whose career has spanned more than three decades in Lauderhill.
“I want to thank Chief Stanley for her 32 years of dedicated service and for building something truly worth protecting,” Rivera said.
Stanley’s departure represents the end of an era for the department. Rivera’s arrival will begin another, with expectations that he can preserve stability while putting his own imprint on crime prevention, accountability and community relations.
“To the City of Lauderhill: I will work tirelessly to build strong relationships, lead with integrity, and keep our community safe,” Rivera said.
When Rivera takes command Nov. 2, that promise will become the measure of his leadership: whether Lauderhill can strengthen public safety while maintaining the trust of the community its officers are sworn to serve.
