Doral Police Chief Under Corruption Probe
UPDATE 1/20/2012
The FDLE investigation determined that Chief Gomez may have violated policy, but committed no crimes, and cleared him of any wrongdoing in this investigation, according to a memo released by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's public corruption unit. "This year was a nightmare and the nightmare is over," Gomez said in a news conference. "The full and complete exoneration of charges means the machinations of those with a political interest, that had a complete disregard for my family and I, did not succeed."
DORAL (CBS4)- State agents are conducting a public corruption probe into the dealings of Doral Police Chief Ricardo "Ricky" Gomez, law enforcement sources said Friday.
The sources declined to discuss the nature of the allegations, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
Gomez, who assumed the post in April 2007, is still on active duty, according to the city. He did not return a call for comment Friday night, the Herald reported.
Helena Poleo, a Doral spokeswoman, said "the city is cooperating fully with the authorities and we will not rush to judgment. It is not proper to take any action until the investigation is concluded. At that point, we will evaluate our options and take the appropriate actions, acting responsibility as a government. We cannot comment further on this matter as it is under investigation."
The probe is being spearheaded by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which has been serving subpoenas at City Hall and the police department in recent weeks.
Public corruption prosecutors will eventually decide whether criminal charges are appropriate. A Miami-Dade state attorney's spokesman declined comment Friday.
Gomez is the only police chief Doral has known. The city incorporated in 2003 and later began its own police force, breaking away from contracted services with Miami-Dade police, according to the Herald.
Officers began reporting for duty on June 1, 2008. Before he was named chief, Gomez spent 27 years with Miami-Dade police as an investigator, lieutenant and captain, earning his law degree at the University of Miami.
Under Gomez, the department has expanded steadily- now there are 91 sworn officers- and has focused on traffic issues.
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