Local News

City of Margate names interim police chief

Updated on: March 26, 2024 / 7:00 AM EDT / CBS Miami

City of Margate has tapped police Major Michael Palma to be interim police chief

MIAMI - The City of Margate has named an interim police chief.

On Monday, the city commission named Margate Police Major Michael Palma interim chief.

Palma steps in for Joseph Galaska, who announced his retirement last week following a controversy over inappropriate text messages.

Palma will be acting chief, while a search is underway to find a permanent head of the department.

Palma has been with the Margate Police Department since 1995 and has been a police major since 2022.

Mauricio Maldonado

Mauricio Maldonado is a digital editor for CBS Miami and has been a digital journalist in the South Florida area since 1997. Mauricio started at the Miami Herald in 1990 and transitioned over to their online team in 1997. In 2001, he moved north to lend his talents to SunSentinel.com, where he spent 17 years. Mauricio has been with CBS Miami since 2018.