AMIRA FOX
On January 6, Amira Fox joined our members to share how our tax dollars are used to fight crime and deliver justice in our community. Amira serves as the State Attorneyfor the districts of Charlotte, Lee, Glades, Hendry, and Collier counties—a role commonly known in other states as a District Attorney. In Florida, the title is State Attorney, a position she has held since 2018. She proudly reported that Fort Myers has maintained the lowest crime rate in the state for the 14th consecutive year, an impressive achievement. Her office handles more than 55,000 cases annually, a relatively low number that reflects the strength of local crime prevention and enforcement efforts. Crime within her jurisdiction is divided into four main areas:
• Economic crime, including cybercrime, much of which is referred to the FBI and often originates overseas, particularly from Nigeria and Jamaica
• Homicide, where Lee County boasts a 100% solve rate
• Narcotics
• Special victims, including human trafficking involving both sex and labor exploitation
Special victim cases are particularly troubling, as vulnerable children are often befriended, drugged, and controlled by offenders.
Because drugs are a common thread in much of the criminal activity, Amira created NETFORCE, a program designed to dismantle major drug operations by targeting kingpins rather than just low-level offenders. Her department has also reopened cold cases, using advances in technology—especially DNA testing—to bring closure to families. To date, 24 cold-case murders have been solved, offering long-overdue answers and justice. Amira Fox’s presentation was a powerful reminder of how proactive leadership, technology, and dedicated professionals work together to keep our communities safe
