Miami police corruption allegations to be discussed at City Hall

MIAMI – The South Florida Police Benevolent Association has subpoenaed staff members of the City of Miami Police Department, including the police chief, to testify at a whistleblower hearing at City Hall Tuesday regarding accusations of racism and corruption.

The civil service hearing is being held on behalf of a commander and officer.

The hearing, which is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m., comes nearly a week after a longtime police sergeant ripped her superiors during her retirement radio message.

“This place was an amazing department to work for until the back stabbing and personal attacks started from my immediate supervisors and the First,” 33-year veteran Sgt. Marilin Garcia said over the police radio. “And if you don’t know who the First is, the First of nothing. To the chief and the First of nothing, you guys are in denial. You think you’re doing an amazing job, but in reality, you have destroyed this police department and the morale, except for your circle, which is definitely took care of.”

Garcia then refers to the prior police chief, Art Acevedo.

“I thought that Acevedo was bad, but at least one things for sure, I knew where he was coming from. To the First, you have a nasty attitude. So do yourself a favor and take some interpersonal skill classes so you know how to treat people right. And finally, to my immediate supervisor, Maj. Garrido. You are a liar, a snake in the grass, a cancer to this department. The hardest thing of being a female in this department was being surrounded by many males knowing that I was more of a man than you.”

She concluded with this message for her now-former fellow officers.

“Please take care of yourself. Back each other up because they don’t care about you, your family,” Garcia said.

The Miami Police Department released the following statement to Local 10 News last week:

“The Miami Police Department is aware of a radio transmission involving a police Sergeant. We are currently reviewing the incident, therefore no further comment will be made at this time.”

Local 10 News, however, was sent an email purportedly sent to staff members by Chief Manuel Morales:

Dear team members,

Last week while on vacation, I was made aware of the Final 06 transmission made by one of our retiring members that brought some serious allegations about our department. I feel it is only fair to address these allegations about the organizational health of our agency, so I wanted to share with you some insight that might offer clarity.

The Central Administrative Sergeant position was identified as a possible position to align with the other districts and place a civilian into the spot, allowing us to bring an additional supervisor into a police-related role. I can certainly understand the sergeant’s frustration at the prospect of being assigned back to patrol duties, as she has spent the vast majority of her career in an administrative role. However, I am disappointed at how she addressed her situation. The transmission was not only unprofessional, but it also possibly violated FEC regulations and might open our department to liability.

The Miami PD has been my home for 29 years, and I will do everything I can to protect my police family. That is why officer wellness has been one of my priorities since taking over as your Chief because I recognize that the brave men and women of our agency are our most precious resource.

I immediately implemented a new uniform policy that offered increased comfort and flexibility while maintaining a professional appearance; I mandated the Struggle Well program to be taught department-wide because I recognize that PTSD is real and our members should have all the tools available to maintain mental health. The on-duty workout program was offered to our patrol members, as well as the ability to swap days off. The heart-healthy initiative provided an opportunity for our members to gauge their current fitness level while gaining time off for those that passed the test.

In the coming months, we will embark on several additional wellness initiatives, like offering a heart CT scan that will allow all our members to get their heart calcium score; this is the most reliable, medically recognized method of early detection for heart disease, the number one killer of our profession. Also, along with our annual physical, I plan to incorporate a mandatory counseling session with a licensed clinician to identify early signs of stressors.

I am firmly aware that to make our city safer and our department better, we have to work together, so I offer all of you my open door. If you feel an issue negatively impacts you before you lose hope or give up on our agency, allow me to address it. We might not always agree, but I promise to give you an honest opinion on the situation, and if it is wrong, we will find a way to make it right. In the coming weeks, I will work closely with members of various ranks and positions to develop ideas to improve working conditions and officer morale.

I am grateful for the work you provide our community daily; please be safe and care for one another.

Respectfully,

Chief Manny Morales