Election 2024: Meet the candidates for Osceola County Sheriff: Marcos Lopez, Donnie Martinez
Osceola Sheriff Debate: Marcos Lopez v. Donnie Martinez
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez and challenge Donnie Martinez met at FOX 35 on Thursday to share their vision for the future Osceola County Sheriff's Office. Marcos, the current sheriff, and Martinez discussed their experience, their vision for law enforcement, crime states, recruiting, and law enforcement training. FOX 35's John Brown and LuAnne Sorrel moderated the debate.
Who will be the next Osceola County sheriff? Marcos Lopez, who was first elected in 2020, is running for reelection and hopes to continue leading the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. He's being challenged by Donnie Martinez, an Osceola County businessman with no law enforcement experience who believes a "new vision" is needed for the sheriff's department.
FOX 35 Orlando hosted a 30-minute debate between Lopez and Martinez. You can watch the full debate in the video player above.
Who is Marcos Lopez?
Occupation: Current Osceola County Sheriff
Party: Democratic Party
Education: Police Academy at the Technical Education Center of Osceola
Campaign website: sheriffmarcoslopez.com
Osceola County Sheriff Marcos Lopez was born in Chicago and raised in Central Florida.
He joined the U.S. military when he was 17 and served for 22 years, according to his official bio. In the U.S. He served as a linguist in the U.S. Navy and was proficient in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. He became certified in explosive ordinances, counterterrorism, and supervised logistical operations.
He joined the Osceola County Sheriff's Office in 2003, where he worked in several divisions, including communications and patrol, criminal investigations, and on the Community Response Team. He graduated from the Police Academy at the Technical Education Center of Osceola. He was sworn in as sheriff in 2021, becoming the first Hispanic sheriff in the county and state of Florida, his bio states.
He started the Real Time Crime Center and added specialty units to OCSO, including the Tactical Anti-Crime Unit, Osceola County Narcotics Bureau, and a fugitive extradition program with Puerto Rico, according to his bio. He also launched Woman on Watch, an all-female police academy, and anti-bullying initiatives.
As sheriff, Lopez has been part of a couple of investigations. An Osceola County grand jury recommended the sheriff's office change how it handles vehicle takedowns following a deadly deputy-involved shooting outside a Target in Kissimmee in 2022. Earlier this year, questions were raised after an "investigative photo" of where Madeline Soto's body was found was mistakenly posted to the sheriff's personal social media account.
Who is Donnie Martinez?
Occupation: Businessman
Party: Republican Party
Education: Law enforcement academy program at Eastern Florida State College
Campaign website: martinez4sheriff.com
Donnie Martinez is an Osceola County businessman. He was born and raised in Osceola County and attended Osceola County schools, according to his bio.
He worked at Winn-Dixie when he was a teenager and was promoted to management, his bio states. He has owned several businesses, including a pool company, lawn care, real estate, and property management. He has not worked in law enforcement before, but attended Eastern Florida State College's law enforcement academy to learn about the latest training for police officers, his bio states.
He believes it is time for "new leadership and a new vision" for OCSO, focused on intelligence-led, community-based policing. He wants to see more investment in tools, technology, and training.