Congratulations to WTDC Chairman Ralph L. Gazitua on his retirement as Chaplain of the Miami Dade Police Department after 20 years of service. On December 16, Chaplain Gazitua celebrated his MDPD Chaplain retirement and the retirement of MDPD Chaplain Eddie Rivero at Sergio’s Doral. Mr. Gazitua’s fellow MDPD Chaplains and colleagues from the Department attended the breakfast including Assistant Director George Perez, Chief Gina Beato-Dominguez, Major Jose A. Fernandez, Major Melissa Barosela, and Executive Vice President of South Florida Police Benevolent Association (PBA) David Greenwell. The PBA presented Chaplain Gazitua with a plaque to commemorate his service.
As an ordained Deacon of the Catholic Church for 34 years, Chaplain Gazitua helped meet the spiritual and pastoral requests of MDPD employees and their families, providing counsel in their time of need.
In times of crisis, such as the collapse of the Champlain Towers in Surfside and the pedestrian bridge at FIU, Mr. Gazitua and the MDPD Chaplains led our community in prayer and provided spiritual guidance to first responders. His responsibilities as Chaplain included education and special programs, introducing MDPD’s human trafficking awareness initiative to the Archdiocese of Miami. As Goodwill Ambassadors of Miami-Dade County, he and the MDPD Chaplains were a social and cultural bridge between the Department and the public on Miami Beach Memorial Day Weekends and at other busy events.
Ralph, thank you for your 20 years of dedication and service as a MDPD Chaplain. Our community is better with people like you and the MDPD Chaplains giving their time and effort to help others. Your involvement with MDPD has become part of the company fabric of WTDC and we look forward to continuing to support law enforcement and its initiatives.
