Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielly De Andrade.
Hi Danielly , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My story is truly an American Dream story. I was born in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and immigrated to the United States with my family when I was two years old. Although I was raised in Florida, I have always remained deeply connected to my Brazilian heritage. I have a large extended family in Brazil, and despite the distance, we remain very close and communicate regularly. I return to Brazil as often as I can because maintaining those relationships and making sure my children understand where our family came from are incredibly important to me.
I grew up in Boca Raton, Florida, where I attended Spanish River Community High School and later Florida Atlantic University. From an early age, I learned the importance of faith, hard work, resilience, family, and never taking an opportunity for granted.
Before I became a police officer, my family experienced an incredibly difficult and uncertain time. When I was 21 years old, my father decided to return to Brazil, leaving my mother, my younger brother, who is eight years younger than me, and me to rebuild our lives.
Before he left, my parents owned a clothing store that carried designer brands from Brazil. My mother had spent many years helping operate the business and working for herself. After my father returned to Brazil, our home went into foreclosure, and because of the circumstances surrounding his decisions, we were left with virtually nothing.
My mother suddenly had to transition from being a business owner to reentering the workforce and applying for jobs. It was a humbling and frightening time for our family, but giving up was never an option. My mother and I knew we had to remain strong, especially for my younger brother. Through faith, perseverance, and a great deal of sacrifice, we found a way forward together.
God ultimately led my mother to a wonderful family who hired her as their personal assistant. She worked for the couple for almost 20 years, until they both passed away this past year. Over time, they became far more than her employers. They became family to all of us, and the woman my mother worked for became like a second mother to her. Their presence in our lives was a true blessing during a time when we desperately needed stability, kindness, and hope.
Those experiences helped shape the woman I became. They taught me that life can change without warning, but hardship does not have to determine your future. I learned how to remain strong during uncertainty, how to carry responsibility even when it feels heavy, and how important it is to help people when they are at their most vulnerable. Those lessons ultimately helped lead me toward a life of public service.
In 2009, I began my career with the Hollywood Police Department. Over the years, I have had the privilege of serving in many different roles, including patrol officer, School Resource Officer, detective, and Domestic Violence Unit detective. As a School Resource Officer, I spent approximately seven years working with young people and was honored to be named the Broward County Crime Commission’s School Resource Officer of the Year in 2017. I also helped establish the department’s first youth summer camp, which has continued serving children in our community for more than a decade.
My investigative work included cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, animal abuse, and burglaries. Each assignment challenged me in a different way and helped shape the officer and person I am today. I currently serve as the Public Information Officer for the Hollywood Police Department, where I communicate with the public, work with the media, and help tell the stories of our officers and the community we serve.
My commitment to service extends beyond my daily assignment. I have served as president of the Hollywood Police Officers’ Association for approximately ten years, participated on the department’s Dive Team, and worked as an instructor with Guardian Defense, helping prepare law enforcement officers, schools, businesses, and members of the public for active threat situations.
While I am proud of my career, my greatest roles are being a wife and mother. I am married to a fellow law enforcement officer, and together we are raising our two children, Jack and Sophia. My faith and family keep me grounded and continually remind me why service matters.
When I look back at the little girl who came to this country from Brazil, and the young woman who watched her family lose almost everything at 21, I am reminded of how much is possible through faith, perseverance, and hard work. I never forget where I came from, what my mother endured, or the sacrifices that helped create the life I have today.
To me, the American Dream is not simply about achieving personal success. It is about overcoming adversity, embracing opportunity, giving back to the country and community that gave my family a chance, and creating a better future for the next generation.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not always been a smooth road. One of the greatest challenges I faced came when I was 21 years old and my father returned to Brazil. My mother, my younger brother, and I were left to rebuild our lives during a period of tremendous financial and emotional uncertainty. We lost our home to foreclosure and were left with virtually nothing. My mother went from owning a business to reentering the workforce, while I stepped into a greater role within our family. We knew we had to remain strong, especially for my younger brother.
That experience forced me to grow up quickly. There were moments when we did not know what the future would hold, but my mother’s strength, our faith in God, and our commitment to one another carried us through. It taught me that perseverance is not always dramatic. Sometimes it simply means getting up each day, doing what must be done, and refusing to allow hardship to define your future.
Beginning a career in law enforcement also presented its own challenges. It is a demanding profession that requires emotional strength, sound judgment, and the ability to remain composed in situations most people never experience. As a woman in a traditionally male dominated field, I learned early that I did not need to become someone else or constantly prove myself. I needed to know my strengths, understand my limitations, do my job well, and earn the trust of the people beside me through consistency and hard work.
Some of my assignments involved domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and other cases that were emotionally difficult to carry. Those experiences strengthened my compassion, but they also taught me the importance of separating my work from my home life. Balancing the responsibilities of being a police officer, wife, mother, union president, instructor, and community leader has not always been easy. There have been missed family moments, long days, difficult calls, and times when many people needed something from me at once.
Over time, I have learned that strength does not mean doing everything alone. It means leaning on faith, accepting support, setting priorities, and remembering the purpose behind the work. Every challenge has contributed to the woman, mother, and police officer I am today. I would not describe the road as easy, but I am grateful for the lessons it has taught me and for the opportunity to use those experiences to help others.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have built a broad law enforcement career with the Hollywood Police Department since 2009, serving in roles that have taken me from patrol and school based policing to complex investigations and public affairs. I spent approximately seven years as a School Resource Officer, investigated cases involving domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, animal abuse, and burglaries, and now serve as a detective in the Public Affairs Unit and as the department’s Public Information Officer.
In my current role, I serve as a bridge between the police department, the media, and the community. I respond to media inquiries, provide critical public safety information, manage the department’s public messaging, and help share the stories of our officers and the people we serve. I believe law enforcement communication should be accurate and professional, but it should also be compassionate, relatable, and human.
Community outreach has always been one of the most meaningful parts of my career. In 2017, I was honored to be named the Broward County Crime Commission’s School Resource Officer of the Year. I also helped establish the Hollywood Police Department’s first youth summer camp, which has continued serving local children for more than a decade. Watching that program grow and knowing it continues to make a difference is one of my proudest professional accomplishments.
My service extends beyond my primary assignment. I have served as president of the Hollywood Police Officers’ Association for approximately ten years, participated on the department’s Dive Team, and held leadership roles within the Fraternal Order of Police. Since 2019, I have also worked as an instructor with Guardian Defense, helping prepare law enforcement officers, schools, businesses, and community members for active threat situations.
What sets me apart is the range of experiences I bring to my work and my ability to connect with people from all walks of life. Whether I am assisting a victim, advocating for an officer, mentoring a child, teaching a class, or speaking on behalf of the department, I try to lead with honesty, empathy, and purpose. I do not believe a badge should separate an officer from the community. It should represent a commitment to that community.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice to women entering law enforcement is to understand that it can be challenging, but never allow that to distract you from your purpose. Stay focused, answer your calls for service, support your squad, and be the officer others know they can depend on. Show through your work ethic, judgment, and consistency that you have earned your seat at the table.
You do not have to prove that you are physically stronger than every man around you. Men and women bring different strengths to this profession. One of the greatest tools an officer can possess is the gift of gab, the ability to communicate with people, build trust, and deescalate a volatile situation before it becomes physical. Knowing how to speak to people and read a room can often accomplish more than physical strength ever could.
I would also tell new officers to protect their mental health from the beginning. Law enforcement officers will witness more tragedy and human suffering than most people will experience in a lifetime. Research involving police officers has found that more than 90 percent had been exposed to traumatic incidents.
Try not to carry every scene and every call home with you. Debrief after difficult incidents, speak to someone when needed, and do not confuse silence with strength. Cops are not always good at talking about what we have seen, so many carry those images and experiences with them throughout their lives. Asking for help does not make you weak or less capable of doing the job. It can help you remain a healthier officer, spouse, parent, and person.
Finally, remember why you chose this profession. Stay humble, know your strengths and limitations, take care of your squad, and treat people with dignity. Your reputation will be built one call, one decision, and one interaction at a time.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Dany_D_Smith
