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MB Police Issue New Policy After Racist, Sexually Charged Emails

May 18, 2015 / 3:44 PM EDT / CBS Miami

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MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami) -- Miami Beach Police issued a new policy Monday following a scandal over thousands of offensive emails discovered inside the police department.

The emails that were circulated using the department's system are said to have been sexually explicit, racist and demeaning . It included pornography and an autopsy photograph that may have been sent to others outside the department.

The new policy now requires all members of the Miami Beach Police Department to report improper use of the department's email system to Internal Affairs.

The previous policy prohibited improper use of the email system but this new policy holds others accountable for not reporting misuse.

"With today's new policy, there is no longer any doubt as to what an employee's obligation is when receiving offensive material, like pornography or racist messages. The obligation is to report the violation immediately, period. The message cannot be clearer. We will not tolerate any offensive emails, texts or social media postings in our Department," said Miami Beach Police Chief Dan Oates.

Last week, State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle and Chief Oates spoke about the investigation of the emails.

Fernandez Rundle said her team created a list of those officers who sent and received these emails. They found 16 officers were involved. Those officers are witnesses in 540 cases, of which about 90 remain open.

Oates stressed two former cops were the main "purveyors" of sexually and racially explicit emails and identified them as Former Major Angel Vazquez and Former Captain Alex Carulo.

Vazquez has since retired, but could face a potential criminal charge for his alleged role. Carulo was fired last week.

Miami Beach Police