Miccosukees Fire Officers, Another Commits Suicide
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Amid intense public and legal scrutiny in recent years, the Miccosukee Indian Police Department has fired four officers and another has committed suicide.
According to our news partners the Miami Herald, those fired last week include: Marvin Gamarra, Brian Robbin, Lazaro Rodriguez and Carlos Ramos.
The tribe gave no reason as to why they fired the officers, but Robin told the Miami Herald he believed his firing is connected to a petition the officers signed back in 2011.
Robin along with 20 officers signed a petition asking for an internal investigation into the conduct of a well-connected police sergeant. The tribe later fired seven officers and its interim police chief.
"We know it's because of the stupid memo we did three years ago. None of us have done anything to actually cause us to lose our jobs," Robbin told the Miami Herald on Monday.
On Sunday, one of their own officers, Kares Parrada,23, a mother of five killed herself while off duty in her Northwest Miami-Dade trailer home.
Law enforcement told the Miami Herald, Parrada had not been fired but believed she might soon be terminated.
Rodriguez told the Miami Herald, he was fired a week after he pulled over the daughter of tribal judge, Pete Osceola.
"I've been there 19 months and have earned officer of the month two different times," Rodriguez told the Miami Herald.
Back in March, the tribe fired their police chief Bobby Richardson leaving the position vacant.
As of earlier this year, the department had less than 30 officers leaving another black eye for the 600-member tribe which has had troubles with the federal government.
The Internal Revenue Service has placed a $170 million in tax liens on the tribe for back taxes, interest and penalties.
According to the Miami Herald, calls to the office of the tribe's chairman were not returned Monday.
