As the new head of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, Joe Centorino has big plans to involve area agencies in the fight to stop county corruption.

“I’d like to build on [the ethics commission’s] relationships with other agencies in the community,” he said. “With police agencies, with the inspector general. There needs to be a stronger, more coordinated effort with the county’s inspector general’s office to work together on matters of mutual concern.”

As the former director of the county’s Public Corruption Division within the State Attorney’s Office, Mr. Centorino has dedicated his career to the investigation and prosecution of crimes committed by public officials or employees.

He is replacing Robert Meyers, who served as director of the ethics commission since it was created nearly 13 years ago. While Mr. Meyers focused his efforts on educational outreach, Mr. Centorino said that he plans to beef up the body’s enforcement arm.

“This agency is the conscience of the government and has to operate that way,” he said. “There are always going to be issues. People are going to be in the government who shouldn’t be in the government…The idea that we’re going to eradicate corruption is not realistic, but without this kind of ethical enforcement things can get out of hand.”

Mr. Centorino discussed how he plans to run the ethics commission at the body’s downtown offices with Miami Today staff writer Ashley Hopkins.