When the City of Miami’s newest Police Chief Rodolfo “Rudy” Llanes was appointed on December 15, 2014, he eloquently stated, “We’ve all lost that feeling of nobility of what it means to be a police officer. And so we’re going to bring that back.”
If nothing else, his words most likely gave the officers of the Miami Police Department their first glimmer of hope in quite a while. At least this new Chief seemed to understand that police morale was at an all time low.
As Channel 10’s John Turchin noted, Chief Llanes will have his work cut out for him. “Within the last 24 hours, five people were gunned down while playing cards, sitting in a courtyard of this apartment complex in Overtown,” Turchin pointed out while the camera panned the scene of the vicious crime.
Not only is the new Chief responsible for dealing with inarguably the worst criminals on the mean streets of Miami-Dade County, but he also has to ensure that all eleven hundred of his police officers conduct themselves in an exemplary and professional manner.
After all, the true measure of a Police Chief’s leadership is the decorum of the officers who serve under him or her.
Chief Llanes’ leadership was tested for the first time on Monday, when one of his police officers surrendered “to the FBI on federal charges of shaking down a Liberty City gambling operation while providing protection.” As the Miami Herald reported in Miami police officer accused of shaking down gambling operator, Jerry Sutherland was “charged with two counts of Hobbs Act extortion that carry up to 20 years each.”
Unsurprisingly, Officer Sutherland was “relieved of duty.”
Also unsurprisingly, Police Chief Rodolfo Llanes issued a statement that should be emblazoned on plaques and hung on the office walls of every single Chief of Police in the United States of America.
Chief Rodolfo Llanes’ inspiring words, combined with a swift and decisive action to rid his department of someone not worthy of wearing the badge, are the mark of a true leader. His public pronouncement that he will never tolerate conduct unbecoming from any of his officers has certainly set the bar high.
How many of his peers will follow his lead?
Will the Chief of the NMPD be one of them?
Just saying.
Stephanie Kienzle
“Spreading the Wealth”
I know Chief Llanes very well and I’m so very proud of his appointment. Under his leadership, there will be more positive stories and accomplishments, as well as an improved relationship with the community! Congratulations again to Chief Llanes!!
I commend the chief and hope the rest of the force see what he is trying to do. I wonder what the unions will do. They always try and save the officer, right or wrong.
I don’t believe the police union will try to “save” an officer who has proven to be unfit for the job. While the union does protect officers who have been unfairly accused of wrongdoing, when there is no doubt that an officer has behaved inappropriately, and termination has been recommended, the union has no choice but to uphold the recommendation.
I am no fan of “big labor,” (specifically SEIU), but police and teacher unions usually operate in the best interest of their members. It doesn’t behoove the unions to protect bad employees at the expense of those who always do the right thing.
Comparing Chief Llanes to North Miami’s Chief Burgess is like comparing a Rolls Royce to a bicycle. Llanes was quick to denounce the actions of a bad cop while Burgess leads a cover up. What else does Burgess sweep under the rug that we don’t know about? As a tax payer, I think that our council needs to step in and tell the City Manager to get rid of him and his bad cop before we are smeared with more bad press. We’re already dealing with crooks like Lucie Tondreau and Marie Steril. Why should we have to deal with paying a chief six figures and this bad cop another sixty thousand dollars or so? That’s not where I want my tax dollars spent. Councilman Galvin, Keys and Mayor: it’s high time for Burgess to get his walking papers and take Officer Antoine with him on the way out.
It is extremely disturbing to read that North Miami police officer Jodlyn Antoine is of sub-standard character. Obviously, this is not the quality of individual anybody in this city deserves. As a resident of North Miami and a taxpayer, I demand that our police officers be beyond reproach. If Burgess is unable to handle his office properly, then it’s time for his replacement.
Burgess is a clown, it was time for his replacement about 15 minutes after he was made chief.