As an undergraduate majoring in criminology at Barry University, James Reyes’ strong interest in social issues was sparked when he learned about the high crime rate that exists among those who do not finish high school or attend college. Today, Reyes is putting his passion into practice as a lieutenant colonel at the Broward Sheriff’s Office, where he serves as the Director of the Department of Detention.
As the Director of the Department of Detention in Broward County, Reyes oversees the facilities, its $240 million-dollar budget, and more than 1400 sworn and civilian personnel. The Department of Detention currently consists of 4 jail facilities which have the capacity to house over 5,000 inmates. Annually, the Broward Sheriff's Office Department of Detention processes over 44,000 arrests. The Broward Sheriff's Office operates one of the largest local jail systems in the country and maintains accreditation from the following accrediting organizations: American Correctional Association, Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission, and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. In addition, in 2018, the Broward Sheriff's Office Department of Detention successfully completed the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) Audit established by the Department of Justice.
“The most rewarding part of my career is having the opportunity to have a positive impact in the community I serve,” Reyes said. “Identifying a social issue is one thing; being in a position to address that social issue is the most rewarding part of my career.”
Reyes, who graduated from Barry with a bachelor’s degree in criminology in 1999, said his time in Barry’s Department of Sociology and Criminology made him aware of several social issues, some of which he would later encounter in his career.
“Barry faculty offered solutions and challenged and motivated their students to make a difference in their respective communities,” Reyes said. “They gave us examples of successful grassroots projects that produced solutions for an array of social issues at the local-community level. As a result, their practices instilled in me a high level of social awareness and social consciousness that has been a part of me ever since.”
Reyes began his career at the Broward Sheriff’s Office in 2000. As a deputy sheriff, he worked at the Main Jail and at the North Broward Bureau where he was a member of the Crisis Intervention Team in the Mental Health Unit. Lieutenant Colonel Reyes also served as a field training deputy and a mental health program deputy. He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2006 and was assigned to the Mental Health Unit at the North Broward Bureau. During his assignment as a sergeant, the Mental Health Unit received the Unit of the Year Award. In 2011 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. As a lieutenant, he was assigned as the Alpha Shift Commander at the Main Jail. In 2013 he was promoted to the rank of Captain. As a Captain, he served as the facility commander of the Joseph V. Conte Facility and later as the Commander overseeing the Central Intake Bureau. Lieutenant Colonel Reyes was promoted the rank of Major in 2014 and assigned as the Assistant Director overseeing the department’s south operations. In 2015 he was assigned as the Administrative Major overseeing the department’s Investigations and Projects Unit, Classification Unit, Facilities Management Unit, and the Biometric Identification Unit. In 2017 Lieutenant Colonel Reyes was promoted to his current rank and assigned as the Director of the Department of Detention.
“I have had an incredibly positive experience working for the Broward Sheriff’s Office,” Reyes said. “I could not ask for better people to work alongside on a day-to-day basis. Importantly, I get to serve the same community I live in.”
Reyes earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology from Barry University and a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Cincinnati. In 2012, he graduated from Nova Southeastern University’s Executive Leadership Program. In 2013, he graduated from the University of Louisville Southern Police Institute’s 67th Command Officer’s Course. In addition, Major Reyes is a member of Alpha Chi, Pi Gamma Mu, and Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society’s in the social sciences.
“Since graduating from Barry, I have always had a passion to teach at the college level,” Reyes said. “Now that I have professional experience to add to my education, I am eager to pass that knowledge along to others who aspire to work in the criminal justice field.”
Reyes credits his dedication to his career and his motivation to better the lives of others to his time at Barry and the professors who shared the same mission for social awareness and justice, he said.
“Without the knowledge and passion I was exposed to while at Barry, I would have never been able to be as successful in my career as I have been,” Reyes said. “The social awareness and knowledge shared by the faculty at Barry instilled the passion that still drives me today.”
For more information about degree programs offered by Barry’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, visit http://www.barry.edu/sociology-criminology/