This week, I visited the Margate Police Department in South Florida to present a Back the Blue Award to Detective Julio Fernandez for his dogged investigative work in solving multiple cold cases.

Det. Fernandez is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and has served in law enforcement for 22 years. The detective’s commitment to service led him to urge supervisors to reopen long-closed cold cases. Many of the cases involved missing persons, DNA matching of skeletal remains, gruesome homicides and more.

Cold cases are often the most difficult to solve. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, nationwide, there are an estimated 340,000 homicide and non-negligent manslaughter cases that are unsolved—approximately 19,000 of these cold cases are in Florida.

Det. Fernandez is working hard to reduce that number—solving eight in the last five years, giving closure to families, some of whom waited more than two decades for answers. That is why I was so excited to present our Back the Blue Award to Det. Fernandez. 

If you know an officer, organization or community member doing extraordinary work to strengthen the bond between law enforcement and the communities they service consider nominating them for our Back the Blue Award. For more information about this initiative, click here.

By supporting our great law enforcement officers and recognizing those working to bridge gaps and build relationships in our communities, we will build a Stronger, Safer Florida.