Heather R. Morris becomes 1st woman to serve as Miami PD deputy chief
Miami, Florida – Heather R. Morris, former assistant police chief at the Houston Police Department, is overseeing MPD’s field operations, criminal investigations, and administrative divisions, and she is tasked with developing a cohesive environment.
During a promotion ceremony at the Miami Police College on Monday, Chief Art Acevedo said “Heather is a person that was my internal affairs commander in Houston.”
Acevedo focused on honoring Morris and six others: The new assistant chief, Thomas Carroll; two new commanders, Cmdr. Brandon Lanier, Cmdr. Kimberly Caruso; the new chief of staff to his executive staff, Joelle Lee-Silcox; and two new patrol sergeants, Sgt. Mario Figueroa and Sgt. Kareena Vega.
Morris comes on Ronald Papier’s position, the former deputy chief who lost his job in June after an internal affairs investigation into an alleged coverup. The probe stemmed from a crash in April involving his wife, former Comdr. Nerly Papier.
Acevedo, who left the Houston Police Department after holding the position for about five years and was sworn in as MPD chief in April, declined to comment about the Papiers on Monday. Jorge Colina, Miami’s former chief of police, retired in February.
