by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
What hasn’t been said about Nelson Cuba, president of the Fraternal Order of Police?
He’s the first minority president in the 50-year history of the organization, one that represents almost 3,000 active and retired Jacksonville police officers, correctional officers and sworn bailiffs. He’s a veteran police officer for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. Gov. Jeb Bush appointed him to the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission last year. Sen. Mel Martinez also nominated Cuba for the Senate Hispanic Leadership Summit. Cuba led the city in the Pledge of Allegiance when Pres. George W. Bush stopped in Jacksonville (the FOP is the only labor organization that twice supported Bush on the campaign trail). And, he has received more awards than can fill a wall.
Beyond the accomplishments and accolades, Cuba is a family man who adheres to many of the philosophies his mother bestowed upon him as a child growing up in Cuba.
Cuba left the Communist country in 1971 when he was six, and moved to Miami.
He still has family in South Florida, but moved to Jacksonville because he didn’t want to raise his two children, Emmanuel and Christina, in Miami.
In 1990, Cuba became a patrol officer for the JSO.
“It was a dream of mine to go into law enforcement,” he said. “It’s in my heart, but when you are first starting out as an officer, all you want to do is make it through training. After that, you just want to get beyond your first year. Then you start going to meetings and seeing things that you do and don’t like. My mother always told me that if you want to change something you have to get involved and do it yourself. That’s what I did, and years later, here I am.”
Cuba may have plans to take that dream into something a little bigger.
“America is the greatest country in the world,” said Cuba. “The opportunities are infinite. Who knows? Maybe I’ll run for mayor.”
Cuba’s immediate goal, however, is getting contracts for police officers, for wages and benefits. But in the future, he says transferring his service to the community from police officer to elected official is a viable option.