Miami police chief disciplines officer for pulling over FHP

Miami police chief disciplines officer for pulling over FHP trooper

From MiamiHerald.com

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Insisting that his agency’s relationship with the Florida Highway Patrol is not strained, Miami’s police chief on Thursday issued a formal warning to an officer who pulled over a trooper on the turnpike.

Miami Interim Police Chief Manuel Orosa also tightened the department’s policy for pulling over fellow law enforcement officers, mandating no traffic stops without approval from a supervisor and only if the targeted officer is engaged in a felony.

The measure came two days after Miami police officer Thomas Vokaty pulled over a uniformed FHP trooper on the turnpike at Okeechobee Road despite “not having jurisdictional authority,” according to a discipline report released Thursday.

Vokaty will not be suspended, but he received a “record of formal counseling” for violating department policy.

The traffic stop — the trooper was not ticketed or arrested — is part of brewing tension between FHP and Miami police that started last month when FHP trooper Donna Jane Watts drew her gun, handcuffed, then charged Miami Officer Fausto Lopez for reckless driving on Florida’s Turnpike.

The incident, captured on video, has sparked furor among citizens as well as law enforcement officers who say Watts acted recklessly in drawing her weapon, yelling and handcuffing a fellow police officer.

In online law enforcement blog posts, Watts has been ridiculed and threatened. In recent days, somebody dumped feces on a trooper’s patrol car.

Meanwhile on Thursday, Orosa tried to quell talk of tension between the agencies, stressing unity to officers at a morning roll call at Miami police headquarters.

In a later news release, Orosa said: “The recent traffic stop of an FHP trooper by one of our officers was an isolated incident, and his actions should not reflect negatively on the Miami Police Department or the professional men and women who work for us.”

He added: “Additionally, I have attended roll calls and am pleased to say that all officers I’ve met with feel that the MPD and FHP are, and will always be, part of the greater law enforcement family in spite of the recent incidents.”

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/11/10/v ... z1dLiAH322

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He's not the first city cop to do traffic stops miles outside of his juristiction! Quiet a few of Miami's finest like to do traffic stops outside of thier juristiction (then they quote mutual aide). At this point in the game Miami PD has close to ZERO credibility. As a fellow cop, I want to thank you guys for making us ALL look bad.

Way to go Miami PD acting like a bunch of thugs has really worked out well for you.

Miami Interim Police Chief Manuel Orosa also tightened the department’s policy for pulling over fellow law enforcement officers, mandating no traffic stops without approval from a supervisor and only if the targeted officer is engaged in a felony.

The measure came two days after Miami police officer Thomas Vokaty pulled over a uniformed FHP trooper on the turnpike at Okeechobee Road despite “not having jurisdictional authority,” according to a discipline report released Thursday.

Im waiting for the FOP to do their crayon drawing of the incident to help calm the incident.

Look, VK is a great guy. He has a big heart, and that guides him. But hes got the brains of a turnip.

The simple fact is, if he had no reason to stop this trooper, no pc, no rs, he stopped him only on "PMC". And guess what, thats a civil rights violation.

What he did was stupid, arrogant and well, stupid.

That trooper had NOTHING to do with watts. NOTHING. NOT A THING. So VK detained a guy illegally, who had nothing to do with an incident that we can all agree was mutually embarassing.

Now imagine any one of us, after pulling our shift, going home, minding our own business gets pulled over in our marked unit, just because of the color of our cars. Sound familiar??

Stop this BS. Its stupid and beneath our profession. But then again, half of you are barely professionals. Grow up. You idiots could have a real job. No OT, no OFF duty, no extra income, no paid vacation, no health care, no pension, no "i" time.

I don't agree with what officer TV did....the same as I don't agree with you saying we don't have a real job. As a matter of fact I think our job is more real than 99% of the jobs out there. yes we get off duties, OT, extra income and some benifits.

but, we wouldn't have to work that OT or have to earn the extra incom if we were paid comparable to the risk we have to live with every day. there a lot of people that get paid a lot more than a police officer and don't have to wear a bullet proof vest to work.

We support TV!!!!

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Originally Posted by Guest

I don't agree with what officer TV did....the same as I don't agree with you saying we don't have a real job. As a matter of fact I think our job is more real than 99% of the jobs out there. yes we get off duties, OT, extra income and some benifits.

but, we wouldn't have to work that OT or have to earn the extra incom if we were paid comparable to the risk we have to live with every day. there a lot of people that get paid a lot more than a police officer and don't have to wear a bullet proof vest to work.

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Policing is a "calling"! If you find it so perilous and unpleasant -- resign! Surely, the City of Miami did not conscript you, did it? The fact is life is a death-defying one way trek; each day may be our last, and all that is necessary to die or be mutilated is to be alive. Cop up!

Orosa first said that Vokaty's stop was an isolated incident; and now because of that incident he has come out with a new policy granting "Diplomatic Immunity" to troopers; right after one of his own was mistreated by trooper Watts.

If you don't like it quit, and take TV with you.