4 May 11-17, 2023 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ MIAMI HE’S BACK! JAVIER ORTIZ, MIAMI’S MOST CONTROVERSIAL COP, WAS REINSTATED. BY ALEX DELUCA T he Miami Police Department’s most scandal-plagued officer is back in action after reaching a re- instatement agreement with the city eight months after his firing. Over a nearly 20-year career, Capt. Javier Ortiz racked up a laundry list of complaints alleging abuse of power, prejudice, and excessive force. It surprised just about everyone when an accusation of violating the department’s overtime policy finally did him in last September — with newly appointed chief Manny Morales firing Ortiz in one of his first notable moves as police boss. Ortiz’s attorney, Griska Mena, confirmed to New Times on May 2 that Ortiz is once again employed by the City of Miami. “The South Florida Police Benevolent As- sociation on behalf of Captain Javier Ortiz and the City of Miami have reached a resolu- tion on all pending matters regarding the em- ployment of Captain Ortiz,” Mena wrote via email. “Both parties believed that is in the best interest of the citizens of the City of Mi- ami and Captain Ortiz.” Mena previously characterized Ortiz’s fir- ing as politically motivated and vowed to fight to have him reinstated. A Miami Police Department (MPD) spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to New Times’ request for comment. According to a May 2 settlement obtained by New Times (attached below), Ortiz is re- taining his captain rank but will be administra- tively reassigned to the chief’s office, where he will work directly under Chief Morales. In this role, he will only be allowed to use his police power in extenuating circum- stances, such as to stop forcible felonies or pre- vent imminent, severe bodily harm or death. While the city agreed to grant Ortiz back- pay from the time he was fired until May 2, he won’t be allowed to conduct union business, must drop all pending grievances and litiga- tion against the city, and must retire in No- vember 2025 under the agreement. An MPD officer since 2004, Ortiz logged more than 50 citizen com- plaints, 20 use-of- force incidents, and three suspen- sions, all while as- cending the ranks. New Times chron- icled the rise and fall of the longtime police union boss last September, re- capping dozens of alleged infractions, from doxxing private citizens to breaking a wom- an’s wrist during Art Basel. Ortiz, a white-Hispanic officer, made na- tional headlines when he claimed during a city meeting that he was “a Black male or a Negro” under the “one drop rule,” an anti- quated racial classification system. Among other disciplinary actions, Ortiz was suspended in 2020 amid an investigation by the Florida Department of Law Enforce- ment (FDLE) and the FBI involving current and former MPD officers who’d complained that Ortiz had “engaged in a pattern of abuse and bias against minorities, primarily African Americans.” The probe concluded with no finding of criminal misconduct by Ortiz. [email protected] | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS AN MPD OFFICER SINCE 2004, ORTIZ LOGGED MORE THAN 50 CITIZEN COMPLAINTS, 20 USE-OF-FORCE INCIDENTS, AND THREE SUSPENSIONS. Javier Ortiz Miami Police Department photo
