MIAMI – Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales testified on Tuesday in front of the city’s Civil Service Board at City Hall about allegations that he targeted department staff who reported internal affairs corruption.
Former Commander Brandon Lanier and Officer Wanda Jean Baptiste both claimed the department’s leadership wasn’t allowing them to do their work independently.
“Morales has used his position to open investigations to target employees and influence the outcome of investigations,” Lanier wrote in a letter last year to City Manager Art Noriega.
The members of the board — Troy Sutton, the chairperson; Rodrigo Jimenez, the chief examiner; and board members Rafael Cabrera, Ulysses Garcia, and Travis Lindsey — asked Morales, Lanier, and other witnesses questions during the hearing.
Morales denied the allegations during his testimony and said Lanier had missed meetings, failed to take part in a “staff retreat,” and he had lost “faith” in his ability to do his job as Overtown Commander.
“Performance alone is not an indication of leadership,” Morales said about his decision to demote Lanier.
Lanier said that before he blew the whistle, Morales had handed awards to his support staff, which he saw as a sign that his leadership as Overtown Commander was successful. He said he had earned the former Chief Art Acevedo’s promotion.
“We were doing a good job,” Lanier said.
Lanier said that internal...
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