Amar'e Stoudemire trained to become a police officer instead of a power forward, and on October 14 the 43-year-old Hall of Famer graduated from Miami Dade College's Basic Law Enforcement Academy as part of Basic Law Enforcement Class 401. Stoudemire is set to join the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department, where he'll undergo field training and eventually patrol.
Stoudemire is set to begin field training and eventually patrol with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department. For comparison, Hoodline's coverage of Shaquille O'Neal's gun-buyback partnership with a Texas sheriff describes a different kind of athlete-law-enforcement role.
How the district funds school safety
The district’s budget information does not specify a total annual budget for its schools police department. According to the M-DCPS Office of Communications, the 2026–27 budget directs 12% of voter-approved referendum funds to enhance school safety and says every school has an officer on-site.
The available district budget information describes referendum funding, not a dollar amount for state Safe Schools funding. A Miami-Dade school board agenda document dated April 20, 2026, proposed a Nov. 3 referendum to renew an ad valorem assessment for teacher compensation and student safety and security. In a separate South Florida policy debate, WLRN reported that Broward's school board rejected a proposal to build its own full-scale police force in January 2024—a district-level decision distinct from Stoudemire's academy training and hiring.
Stoudemire graduated from the academy two months after his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2026. Sports Illustrated reported that he attended Miami-Dade police academy sessions before and after his enshrinement, keeping the training largely out of public view.
From $165 Million Earner to Entry-Level Recruit
Stoudemire earned more than $165 million over his 14-year NBA career, playing for the Suns, Knicks, Mavericks, and Heat, according to TMZ. That outlet also reports that Stoudemire graduated with the most recent class of cadets in the School of Justice's Basic Law Enforcement Academy and received the Harry 'Coach' Everett Award for his contributions to the success of the academy program during training. Miami Dade College said Stoudemire graduated with special recognition for his contributions throughout the training, per the same report and according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
Stoudemire's next step is field training, followed by patrol with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department.
A Childhood Dream Rooted in Family
TMZ reports that Stoudemire had wanted to become a police officer since childhood and that his uncle, who worked in law enforcement, and his junior-varsity coach encouraged his interest. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, he described his motivation in terms of public service and protecting the community.
After retiring from the NBA in 2016, Stoudemire played overseas basketball, winning championships in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, per TMZ. During that period he completed a formal conversion to Judaism in 2020 and received Israeli citizenship under the Hebrew name Yahoshafat Ben Avraham in 2019, according to AS USA. He later coached in Brooklyn and pursued kosher wine interests.
A Miami-Dade Schools Police Career
Stoudemire's move into Miami-Dade school law enforcement follows his time with the Miami Heat.
Stoudemire faced a misdemeanor battery charge, according to CBS News.
Shaquille O'Neal partnered with a Texas sheriff on a gun-buyback initiative, a role Hoodline covered when O'Neal teamed with a Texas sheriff. Stoudemire completed academy training and is set to begin field training with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department before eventually patrolling.
Before any of this, Stoudemire's accolades were purely basketball ones. He spent eight seasons with the Phoenix Suns and was named Rookie of the Year in 2003. Now, with a badge instead of a jersey, Stoudemire's focus shifts to his upcoming work with the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department.
