WHY I AM RUNNING:

I am excited to announce that I have filed to run for Sheriff of St. Lucie County in 2024. Ever since becoming a law enforcement officer, my goals have always been to become the very best public servant to my community and to one day have the opportunity to serve at the highest possible level. That time has arrived.

St. Lucie County has been my home for the past 23 years and I am extremely passionate about our community and it’s future. Most importantly, I am extremely passionate about serving others.  I consider myself to be a purpose driven public servant.  Now more than ever, we need strong political leadership that is focused with a purpose to serve others above self. Seeking elected office was not an easy decision and one that I do not take lightly. I believe it’s a privilege and not an entitlement to hold public office. I fully accept the responsibilities that come with earning your respect and trust each and everyday.

Throughout my career, the City of Port St. Lucie has continuously been recognized as the “Safest Large City in the State of Florida” by having the lowest crime rate for cities with a population over 100,000 residents. In fact, since 2012, the crime rate within the City of Port St. Lucie has been reduced by an incredible 49%.  The Port St. Lucie Police Department has also been recognized as one of the most progressive agencies in the country, having the highest standards in the policing profession through the Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.

Every citizen within St. Lucie County deserves to live in a safe community and be served by a law enforcement agency with the highest standards and values.  As the next Sheriff of St. Lucie County, my top priorities and vision will be implementing a standard of performance at the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office that will transform St. Lucie County into the safest county within the State of Florida and make the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office the premier law enforcement agency in the United States of America.

Core Values are the foundation and guiding principles of any great organization and the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office will be no different. Our core values at the Sheriff’s Office will be built upon a commitment to top-down accountability, a standard of excellence, hard work, doing what is right, respect for others, being fair, integrity, transparency, and living by the “Golden Rule”; the principle of treating others as you want to be treated. These values will create an unwavering focus and direction for our mission to serve others, while at the same time inspire us to achieve both personal and professional excellence.

The time is right for a change in leadership and direction at the Sheriff’s Office.  With a budget of over 70 million dollars and growing, we cannot accept the status quo. As public servants, we should always demand from ourselves and provide the highest levels of fiscal accountability and transparency to ensure our residents are receiving the greatest value from their tax dollars. I possess the necessary executive law enforcement experience and leadership capabilities to know what needs to be done in order to run the most efficient and effective law enforcement agency.

I have decided to make my intentions known early in order to build Team Del Toro For Sheriff into the strongest and most dominant campaign team in St. Lucie County. I am committed to running a campaign you will be proud to be associated with and ultimately the type of Sheriff you would be proud to elect.  It is my hope that you will join our team in order to help make our way of life in St. Lucie County the very best it can become.

In closing, I am looking forward to meeting with as many residents as possible and addressing any issues or concerns regarding public safety and the future direction of the Sheriff’s Office. I would consider it a great honor to earn your support and be elected your Sheriff of St. Lucie County.

Thank you for your consideration and God Bless.

Richard R. Del Toro, Jr.