^
- Local
- Community
- Journalism
-
Support Miami’s independent voice and help keep the future of the New Times free.
Two years after losing control of the Miami Police Fraternal Order (FOP), Miami Police Department Captain Javier Ortiz lost his last attempt to become union president.
Last night, Sergeant. Tommy Reyes, the current president of FAM in Miami, defeated Ortiz in the second round of elections and will retain the position of union leader.
Ortiz, who has been suspended from his salary since last January to an ongoing investigation external law enforcement agencies, announced his candidacy in December. Included his campaign website, Ortiz cited weakening Miami Police Supervisory Board under civilian administration as one of his achievements as a past president.
In the first election in mid-December, Ortiz led against Reyes and a third candidate, Lieutenant Ramon Carr, who is vice president The Miami Black Police Union. But the margin between Ortiz and Reyes – just 47 votes – was enough to move into the second round between the two leaders.
In the second round, Reyes defeated Ortiz by 322 votes, according to last night’s FOP announcement. Reyes won with more than 60 percent support from the 1,465 union members who ran in the election.
Ortiz previously served as union president from 2011 to 2018. During his time as president, he falsely claimed that he was black on two promotional exams, gave Islamophobic comments about a fellow officer, doxed a private citizenand repeatedly used his authority as a union leader embarrass the city of Miami.
At one point in 2014, FOP members tried to recover Ortiz, accusing him of unethical behavior that harmed the union, but that effort ultimately failed.
New Times he addressed both Reyes and Ortiz for comments on the election results, but has not yet received a response from any of the candidates.
Keep the Miami New Times free … Ever since we started Miami New Times, is defined as the free, independent voice of Miami, and we would like it to remain that way. We offer our readers free access to insightful coverage of local news, food and culture. Producing stories of everything from political scandals to the most interesting new bands, with dense reportage, style writing and employees who have won everything from the Sigma Delta Chi Society of Professional Journalists Award for film writing to the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism. But given that local journalism exists under siege and the decline in advertising revenue has a greater impact, it is now more important than ever to gather the support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our “I Support” membership program, allowing us to continue to cover Miami without pay walls.
0 Comments