OFFICER PETE PADILLA: 2023 Top Lideres Awards; Jacksonville

Officer Pete Padilla

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office / District 2

Peter Padilla was born in the only city of Miami, FL. He is the only son of his Cuban parents, Tania and Pedro Padilla. He has been married to his wife, Yanelis Padilla, for 22 years. Together they have three amazing children; Elías, Josías and Jeylise Padilla. He has lived in Jacksonville, FL since 1999.

​After moving to Broward County and graduating from McArthur High School, where he played baseball and football, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served his country for 8.5 years and achieved the rank of Officer First Class. During those 8.5 years, he was deployed overseas twice conducting maritime interdiction operations in the northern Arabian Gulf. Upon completion of his military service, he followed in the footsteps of his uncle Emilio Miyares (Hialeah Police Department #246) and became a police officer with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in 2008. Peter felt he had to continue the legacy of his uncle, since his uncle sacrificed his life in the line of duty. Peter served with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office from 2008 until the end of 2012 in District 2.

In 2012, while volunteering as a youth leader at his then church, he felt God calling him to work full-time as a youth mentor. . After almost 5 years of patrolling the streets of Jacksonville, Peter made one of the most difficult decisions of his life and quit his dream job to serve God and the youth of the community full time. At that time, he felt that the need to serve youth was more important than his personal goal of being a police officer. Peter then worked as a full-time youth mentor for 8 years before returning to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office in 2020.

The highlight of Peter's life is his family. Nothing compares to being a man of God who loves, leads, corrects, sacrifices and provides for his family.

"My success as a husband and father has come from God's grace upon my life and my faith in Him. I would not be here alive today if Jesus had not given his life on that Mighty Cross."