NORTH MIAMI, Fla. — Marc Elias Jr., the former North Miami police chief who made history as the first Haitian-American to lead the police department of the heavily Haitian-populated South Florida city, has died in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Le Floridien has confirmed through a member of his family.
Elias reportedly became seriously ill late Thursday night in Port-au-Prince and was rushed to a hospital, where he later died. Preliminary information indicates that he may have suffered from food poisoning. The precise medical cause of death, however, has not yet been officially established.
At the time of his death, Elias was in Haiti assisting a family member, Saliba, owner of a Toyota dealership in Port-au-Prince, with security matters. Drawing on his decades of experience in law enforcement, the former police chief was helping assess and strengthen the dealership’s security system and overall security environment. His assistance came amid growing security concerns in the Haitian capital, where the dealership and other businesses have faced repeated attacks and threats from armed gangs.
A Trailblazer in South Florida Law Enforcement
Elias was a significant figure in South Florida law enforcement and one of the Haitian-American community’s early trailblazers in policing.
Born in Haiti, Elias attended Collège Roger Anglade in Port-au-Prince before continuing his education in the United States. He was also a graduate of Columbia Southern University in Alabama, according to a biography previously published by the North Miami Police Department.
Before taking command of the North Miami Police Department, Elias served as police chief of Florida City. His appointment there in 1999 made him one of the pioneering Haitian-American law-enforcement executives in Miami-Dade County.
Elias joined the North Miami Police Department as assistant chief in 2010 and was elevated to chief the following year. His appointment was particularly significant in North Miami, home to one of South Florida’s largest Haitian-American communities. He became the first Haitian-American to lead the North Miami Police Department, marking an important milestone for Haitian representation in local law enforcement.
A Tenure That Ended Amid Controversy
Elias’s tenure as North Miami police chief, however, was not without controversy.
In February 2014, Elias resigned after he and then-City Manager Stephen Johnson agreed to what the city described as an “amicable conclusion” to his service with the North Miami Police Department. At the time, city officials did not publicly provide a specific reason for his resignation.
His departure came amid scrutiny over expenses associated with several official trips he made to Haiti. The Miami Herald reported at the time that Elias had charged the City of North Miami thousands of dollars for seven trips to Haiti dating back to April 2012.
According to reporting at the time, Johnson said that only one of those trips lacked the necessary documentation to qualify for reimbursement by the city. Therefore, while the travel expenses generated criticism and preceded Elias’s resignation, the city did not publicly establish that the controversy was the reason he stepped down.
Around the same period, Elias also experienced a health scare. He reportedly suffered chest pains while at work and was hospitalized in stable condition shortly before his resignation was announced.
Following his departure, city officials began the process of selecting interim leadership while searching for a permanent replacement.
A Legacy of Haitian-American Leadership
Despite the controversy surrounding the final chapter of his tenure, Elias’s historic role in North Miami remains significant.
His rise helped demonstrate that Haitian-American law-enforcement officers could reach the highest levels of leadership in South Florida departments serving communities with substantial Haitian populations.
In 2016, Gary Eugene became the second Haitian-American to serve as North Miami police chief. Today, the department is led by Chief Cherise Gause, who became the third Haitian-American and the first Haitian-American woman to lead the North Miami Police Department when she was sworn in as chief in 2023.
That progression—from Elias to Eugene and now Gause—places Elias at the beginning of an important chapter in the history of Haitian-American representation in North Miami law enforcement.
His sudden death in Haiti brings renewed attention to a career that included historic achievements, public service, controversy and a lasting place in South Florida’s Haitian-American history.
Le Floridien extends its condolences to the family, friends and former colleagues of Marc Elias Jr. Additional information regarding the circumstances of his death and funeral arrangements will be published as it becomes available.
