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Group Rallies In Support Of Gables' Police Chief, Reprimand Rescinded

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CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) - A group of concerned Coral Gables residents has rallied around their embattled police chief who they say is being targeted by the City Manager.

Earlier this month, Chief Ed Hudak had a six-page reprimand put into personnel file over a picture that surfaced of him with 14 of the city's policewomen who were in bikinis.

The women were having a pool party and invited the chief to stop by. He did but when they asked him to stay, he declined but did pose for a picture which ended up online.

The fun turned into controversy when allegations were made that the chief, a 28 year veteran of law enforcement, had acted inappropriately.

Was there inappropriate contact or comments made between the chief and these 14 officers?

"Absolutely not," said Attorney Osi Rind.

Rind represents the Coral Gables Fraternal Order of Police and the 14 officers who were at the pool party.

"When the officers came to the union and to me for help for this matter, we made it perfectly clear to the city before they even, to my knowledge, even started an investigation that any of these allegations were true," Rind explained.

Despite his exoneration, City Manager Cathy Swanson-Rivenbark ordered a reprimand be put in Hudak's personnel accusing him of "immaturity", "conduct unbecoming", and failure to show "remorse."

On Tuesday, members of "Save the Gables" rallied at City Hall in support of Hudak. They feel the reprimand was not only petty but part of a clear pattern of harassment and interference that began when Swanson-Rivenbark returned to the City in late 2014.

Unable to install her pick for police chief, Frank Fernandez, she created a new position of Assistant City Manager for Public Safety and placed Fernandez in the job in order to micromanage Chief Hudak and usurp his authority, according to the group.

During Tuesday's commission meeting, Swanson-Rivenbark revoked Hudak's reprimand, telling the packed house that it was in the best interest of the city.

Hudak then spoke to the crowd, tearing up as he did.

"I am very proud to be your Chief of Police and it is my honor to represent the men and women of the Coral Gables police department and the residents," he said. "I appreciate the manager revisiting the issue today."

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