Title: Captain
Company: Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office
Location: Miramar, Florida, United States
David Michael Shanks Jr., captain at Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Executives for dedication, achievements and leadership in Law Enforcement and Military Service.
Mr. Shanks, a captain with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office in 2025, has been instrumental in his new role, supervising the business district in Miami County as the executive officer and second-in-command. Reporting directly to a police major who oversees the district, he is responsible for managing all operations within the district, encompassing both patrol and general investigation services. Mr. Shanks’s leadership is marked by his commitment to public service and his belief in empowering teams to achieve collective success. He emphasizes the importance of treating individuals with dignity and respect, recognizing that people are irreplaceable assets within any organization.
Before his current appointment, Mr. Shanks served as a lieutenant with the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office during the first half of 2025. His transition to the Sheriff’s Office followed a successful tenure with the Miami-Dade Police Department, spanning 2001 to 2025, beginning as a police officer after graduating from the academy. During this time, Mr. Shanks built a foundation of experience in community policing, investigations and public safety. He was later promoted to police sergeant in 2013 and police lieutenant in 2018. As a police sergeant, Mr. Shanks managed a team of officers, coordinated responses to complex incidents and played a pivotal role in mentoring junior personnel.
In addition to his distinguished law enforcement career, Mr. Shanks has an extensive military service record spanning more than two decades. Since 2025, he has served as section leader with the 350th Civil Affairs Command in the U.S. Army Reserve. In this capacity, he leads efforts focused on stability operations, including rebuilding infrastructure and supporting communities through projects like wells and schools. As an advisor to a two-star general, Mr. Shanks also provides guidance on establishing self-sufficient police departments during stability missions.
Mr. Shanks’s military journey began in 1997 and included roles as a lead sergeant, platoon leader, company commander and small-group leader within the U.S. Army. He spent over 25 years rising from enlisted ranks to the rank of major in the Florida Army National Guard before joining the U.S. Army Reserve in 2024. Mr. Shanks’s deployment history included service in Ukraine from late 2021 to late 2022, followed by operations in Western Europe.
Mr. Shanks’ academic achievements have played a significant role in shaping his professional trajectory. He earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice administration and management from Miami Dade College in Miami, Florida, and a Master of Business Administration in criminal justice and police science from Alliant International University in San Diego, California. His military education included completion of intermediate-level education in military strategic studies at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, as well as coursework in advanced operations and a warfighting course on campus.
Beyond his professional commitments, Mr. Shanks is actively involved with civic organizations, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, demonstrating his dedication to mentorship and community engagement.
Mr. Shanks’s exemplary service has been recognized through several prestigious awards, including deployment medals for service in Iraq in 2003, a Bronze Star from the U.S. Army in 2003 and a Bronze Star Medal with Valor.
Throughout his career, Mr. Shanks has demonstrated expertise in leadership, management and criminal justice, skills that have been instrumental in both his law enforcement and military roles. He credits much of his success to his family’s unwavering support. Looking ahead, Mr. Shanks aspires to advance further within law enforcement by becoming a police major and leading his own precinct or district. In parallel with his military career goals, he aims to achieve the rank of full bird colonel and command a brigade before ultimately retiring from service.
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