A veteran Miami police captain with a controversial past with the department has been fired, Chief Manuel Morales announced Tuesday.
Javier Ortiz, an 18-year veteran of the department, had been suspended last year amid an internal affairs investigation and two lawsuits that had been filed against him.
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"Any member of the Miami Police Department who does not carry out the department’s mission is unworthy of serving the residents and stakeholders they vowed to uphold as a sworn member of the police department," Morales said in a brief statement announcing Ortiz's termination.
According to a report outlining his dismissal, Ortiz has been the subject of dozens of complaints since he was hired in March of 2004.
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The report said Ortiz was the subject of 52 citizen complaints, 20 use of force complaints and two administrative complaints, and had been relieved of duty three times.
Griska Mena, an attorney with the South Florida Police Benevolent Association, issued a statement on Ortiz's behalf Tuesday.
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"Today’s decision made by Chief Morales shows complete disregard for the the decision and opinions of the five staff members who voted to exonerate my client based on evidence. These staff members recommended the discipline he rescinded. It shocks the conscious that 5 staff members exonerated him and recommended the discipline to be rescinded, but today he gets fired," the statement read. "The Chief’s decision and his explanation can only be attributed to political pressures and refusing to acknowledge that Javier Ortiz did nothing wrong."
One of the lawsuits had been filed last year in federal court by Miami Police Sgt. Edwin Gomez against both the City of Miami and Ortiz.
It alleges Ortiz and the city retaliated against Gomez — who has been with the department for more than 20 years — for cooperating in a federal investigation that was looking into alleged racist and discriminatory behavior by Ortiz.
The suit alleges that because of Gomez's cooperation, he was retaliated against with punitive transfers, suspensions and harassment.
A second lawsuit was filed by a husband and wife, who are suing Ortiz for false arrest and battery, claiming he used unnecessary and excessive force during a traffic stop in 2017.
Ortiz faced harsh criticism in 2020 after statements that he made claiming he was African American at a city commission meeting. He was suspended shortly after that incident.
Ortiz also faced accusations of excessive force as a sergeant seven years ago, but he was granted qualified immunity.
