Candidate: Amaryllis Rivera

Candidate Statement

I am a law enforcement professional with almost 17 years of experience and a 15-year military veteran. I am running for Osceola County Sheriff because I believe it is time for a new leader who will make the necessary changes that are so desperately needed within the agency. I have always been committed to justice and public service, and I have a proven track record of leadership and success. Osceola County continues to grow and evolve, and because of that, I believe it is time for a change not only within the Sheriff’s Office but in the community as well. If elected Sheriff, I am confident I will bring unity back into the community. Although I am the first Latina Candidate, I do not want people to vote for me solely because I am a female or Latina. I want people to vote for me because I am a qualified candidate fully capable of doing the job.

While still in high school, I attained my first leadership position as an assistant manager of a retail store. The assistant manager’s position instilled in me a strong work ethic at a young age. After the attacks on 9/11, I decided to serve my Country and be a part of something bigger than myself. At the age of 19, I joined the United States Air Force Reserves. I went on to serve almost 15 years in the Air Force Reserves, where I gained knowledge and skills I could not have gained elsewhere. One of my fondest experiences in the Air Force was while on military orders I was assisting NASA and SpaceX, where I was part of the team that worked with the astronaut’s rescue mission.

In 2006, while serving in the Air Force Reserves, I began to work for the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office as a secretary for the West Patrol Captain. Working for the Captain taught me a great deal about administrative functions such as budgeting, disciplinary actions, and community relations. I later decided I wanted to serve my community in a bigger capacity, so I joined the West Patrol Community Service Officers (CSO). As a CSO I responded to calls for service and became proficient in report writing, crime scene processing, evidence collection, and CPR/first aid. In 2016 I became CSO Supervisor over the West Sector of the County. My years as a supervisor taught me leadership skills such as critical thinking, communication, diversity, conflict management, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.

As a full-time employee, I was able to obtain a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a minor in Criminal Justice Administration. I also obtained an associate degree in logistics. I was an instructor at the Sheriff’s Office, where I taught report writing, CPR, AED, first aid, and Women's Self-Defense. In 2021, I became a part-time real estate agent, where I have learned that the little details truly matter.

After working almost 17 years at the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, I decided to take the risk and run for Sheriff to be the change the agency needs. I want to make every employee whether civilian or sworn, feel valued and appreciated. It is commonly said that when morale is low employees will not give the best version of themselves, and to make an agency great, we need quality employees giving their best every day. I want to increase our training to ensure we have the best employees serving our community.

Law enforcement in the 21st century is evolving rapidly. Today’s deputies are facing new threats and challenges, as well as increased public and media scrutiny. I want to improve community relations by making changes, not by making false statements and scripted videos to tell people what they want to hear. The residents of Osceola County deserve to know the truth and feel safe at the same time. I want to work on deploying new technologies that will help Sheriff’s Office employees with their jobs while enhancing the way they interact with the public. I believe in Community Oriented Policing because it is the best way to prevent crime and increase trust. The highly publicized use-of-force complaints resulting in public distrust have heightened the need for community policing. This is one reason I am for body-worn cameras so that people can see the full story, not just what the media wants people to see. Transparency is crucial so that together we can all work towards keeping the residents of Osceola County safe.

My vision statement is Integrity First and Service before Self, which are core values I learned in the Air Force. As a Christian, I’ve learned to be a servant leader. Leadership is not about making your name known, it is about having the ability to love and respect people while showing God’s grace.