Miami Beach Police Chief Retiring
MIAMI BEACH (CBSMiami.com) – Miami Beach Police Chief Carlos Noriega is retiring at the end of the year and is trying to enjoy the 100 days he has left as the head of the Miami Beach Police Department.
Due to the DROP program, Noriega was going to be leaving the force at the end of the year, regardless.
"I've got about a 100 days left before I retire and it's been a fantastic 28 years in this organization," Noriega told CBS4's Tiffani Helberg.
Noriega was first appointed chief in 2007, but has become embattled in controversy after a 2011 deadly officer-involved Memorial Day shooting; the wrongful arrest of two gay men in 2009 that saw two officers get fired; and two officers getting fired for drinking on the job and taking civilians on a joyride, according to CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald.
"Is he being forced out? No, no, no as far as I know it's nothing like that he's actually retiring," said Miami Beach Mayor Mattie Bower. "Before Memorial Day before the ATV, before everything, that was the date that he was retiring."
Noriega's supporters said his tenure shouldn't be tarnished due to incidents of alleged misconduct. Noriega said he worked every day to improve "the lax culture he inherited when he was made chief," according to the Herald.
Mayor Matti Herrera Bower told the Herald that a plan had been floated to have assistant chief Raymond Martinez take over the chief's job once Noriega leaves.
"As far as my future I'm looking at my options when I retire from here but as it stands right now I have about three and a half months remaining and I'm looking forward to the transition process at some point to hand it off to the either chief or interim chief," said Noriega.
(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Miami Herald contributed to this report.)
