Hialeah officer accused of illegal gun trafficking assigned

:devil: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/14/3 ... cking.html

BY JOEY FLECHAS
JFLECHAS@MIAMIHERALD.COM

A Hialeah police officer charged with selling guns illegally has been sitting behind a desk in an administrative job instead of sitting at home since being indicted in December.

Rafael Valdes, a current Hialeah officer, and his wife Tammy, a former cop for West Miami and Golden Beach, were charged with dealing firearms without a license, according to an indictment handed down by a federal grand jury in West Palm Beach. They surrendered to police on Dec. 14.

At that time, department spokesman Carl Zogby told the Herald that Rafael Valdes had been suspended with pay upon his arrest.

“Subsequent to today’s arrest, Officer Valdes has been suspended pending further action,” he said.

Police Chief Sergio Velazquez clarified last week, saying Valdes was stripped of his police powers and placed in an administrative job since federal investigators served a warrant on his home in December. He is researching police policy in the training division.

“There is no difference in having him stay home when I can have him at work,” he said.

He said Valdes’ alleged misconduct had nothing to do with his duties as a police officer and involved off-duty activities.

Before the indictment and reassignment, Valdes was the department’s rangemaster, the force’s top firearms official.

“You’re innocent until proven guilty, his alleged misconduct is nothing related to his duties as a Hialeah police officer,” Velazquez said, adding that since the department has an obligation to pay Valdes during his paid suspension, he might as well do work instead of sitting at home.

Hialeah Sgt. Tony Luis, a union representative in the department, said it’s the chief’s decision, on case-by-case basis, as to whether an officer on suspension should sit at home or be reassigned. Suspension without pay can only be handed down by the mayor.

“I know to the general public it may look weird,” Luis said. “But it’s just the way things are done. Anybody could be charged with anything. It doesn’t mean they’re guilty.”

He said if Valdes is found innocent, the department could be accused of having wasted resources by keeping away from work.

Tony Sanchez, who currently criminology at Miami-Dade College and has previously served as a deputy police chief in Opa-locka, echoed Velazquez and Luis, saying it was good policy.

“You’re going to have to pay him anyway,” he said. “So at least you’re getting labor for the taxpayer dollar.”

Valdes awaits an August trial date.

Follow @joeflech on Twitter.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/14/3 ... rylink=cpy

WELL WEL WEL WELL :twisted: Well if you guys let that happen then your a bunch of pussies. For god sakes contact FDLE and file a complainant on 100 or go to the media I am more than sure that there is a hungry reporter out there somewhere that would love to do a story on Hialeah and the way the city is run by its administration. Guys to give you an insight most back ground investigators from other departments are well aware of 100's tactics (retention via discipline) and they are still hiring people.

It has begun. There will be more to come ladies and gentlemen. The rein of 100 is going to start comming to an end. ATF is not to happy about what has transpired who knows maybe a federal probe is next on the menu.

Miami-Dade County Code 2-42 provides for the automatic suspension without pay of any employee charged with a felonious offense. County Code Ordinances supersede municipal ordinances and managerial fiat, and should be followed as law and best practices. Then again, forget about it, is Hialeah and clearly things are different in the city of retrogression, err I meant “progress!” BTW, what is Velazquez relation to Valdes or is Velazquez just being benevolent?

At the Hialeah Police Department we don’t kick one of our own when he is down; instead, we pull his pants down and stick him from behind, and after we are through, we do his wife too.
Aint it wonderful?
ops: ops: ops: ops: ops: ops:

Oh yes Sir! Hialeah is a BANANA REPUBLIC of corruptions

Miami-Dade County Code 2-42 provides for the automatic suspension without pay of any employee charged with a felonious offense. County Code Ordinances supersede municipal ordinances and managerial fiat, and should be followed as law and best practices. Then again, forget about it, is Hialeah and clearly things are different in the city of retrogression, err I meant “progress!” BTW, what is Velazquez relation to Valdes or is Velazquez just being benevolent?

No it does not!

Miami-Dade County Code 2-42 provides for the automatic suspension without pay of any employee charged with a felonious offense. County Code Ordinances supersede municipal ordinances and managerial fiat, and should be followed as law and best practices. Then again, forget about it, is Hialeah and clearly things are different in the city of retrogression, err I meant “progress!” BTW, what is Velazquez relation to Valdes or is Velazquez just being benevolent?

No it does not!

Oh guess again. www.dol.gov/olms/regs/compliance/cba/pdf/cbrp0589.pdf?

Here some more case law. www.3dca.flcourts.org/opinions/3D11-1567.pdf?

Here some more case law. http://www.3dca.flcourts.org/opinions/3D11-1567.pdf?

Guest035 do you have a reading disability?