Opa-locka installs Shamika Lawson as city manager and Robin R. Starks as police chief

City Manager Shamika Lawson and Police Chief Robin R. Starks were sworn into their posts at a public ceremony in the City of Opa-locka, where officials, clergy and community members gathered to mark the leadership transitions.

The ceremony installed Lawson as city manager; she was introduced by Pastor Gregory Thompson and formally sworn in by Frank Rollinson, village manager of North Bay Village. Lawson received a 25-year service award from the commission and pledged to lead with openness. "I am committed to living with integrity, transparency and compassion," Lawson said, thanking family, staff and the commission.

Lawson, described at the ceremony as the city's first homegrown female city manager, has worked for the city for 25 years. Speakers at the event traced her career from receptionist through roles including mayor/commission secretary, assistant city clerk (she is a certified municipal clerk) and assistant city manager. The commission presented Lawson with a plaque recognizing her quarter-century of service.

Dr. Robin R. Starks was sworn in as chief of police by Judge Lodi Jean and had her badge pinned during the ceremony. Starks, whose remarks noted a long career in policing and community work, told attendees that "this is more than a position. This is a sacred duty to protect the vulnerable, uplift the honorable, and unite our city through justice, integrity, and service." Speakers outlined Starks's more than three decades in law enforcement, including service with the Miami Police Department and senior roles in several South Florida agencies; she also leads private consulting and nonprofit efforts focused on mentorship and leadership.

Mayor John H. Taylor Jr. and other commissioners praised both appointees and framed the event as a milestone for local leadership. The program included scripture readings, a prayer invocation, introductions by clergy, and public acknowledgments of elected officials and law enforcement leaders from across the county. Several speakers emphasized continuity and local experience; the mayor noted Lawson's long tenure with the city and commissioners presented the 25-year recognition during the ceremony.

Both Lawson and Starks used the occasion to promise collaborative management and community engagement. Lawson pledged to "foster a culture of collaboration and unity" and to work with staff and residents on economic development and public safety goals. Starks told officers and community members she would pursue community policing, invest in training and maintain open dialogue between police and residents.

The ceremony closed with a prayer led by local clergy and an invitation for attendees to greet the new city manager and police chief in an adjoining room where refreshments were provided.