Miami River Cops

         Police corruption when here about it puts a gross feeling in your mouth. It is hard to think that those who are suppose to protect and serve the public are committing crimes them selves. In 1984 Miami, FL was hit with the one of the worse police corruption in the united states, and also dealing with issue like drugs in murder in the city. The Miami river cops were just eight of more than 100 cops involved with police misconduct. The cops were either involved or committing bribes, murder, drug dealing, or any misconduct. The task force was called the Centac 26 involving almost every federal agency and the Miami police department them selves. In the end everyone involved was either arrested or disciplined for the action that took place in Miami.

         Wanting to be involved in law enforcement myself, I hate hearing about these officers that went against their duty to serve the public. Alex Alvarez the detective who led the investigation said, "It was a terrible time time to be a cop"(Miller) when interview by Miami Beach 411. That sums up how the public views law enforcement after a corruption in a police department comes to light, but not every cop is bad. Sometime a few get by that should not be an officer, but almost all are good. When us see a case of major corruption like in Miami, FL, it was just after a department goes on a hiring spree to control an issue. Hiring spree 9 out 10 times do not work, and it amazes me of why a department would consider it. A lot of the time its from public out rage and the governor that put extreme pressure on the Chief of police to take action. Most of the time its the department and other officers that get the criticism. It's a shame to those who work in law enforcement like the ones in Miami that did there duty, but still get looked at as a bad person. Alvarez comments in his interview that "Miami has changed a lot since then."(Miller) This is true because then Miami was known as the United States murder capitol, but today the name has disappeared. 

Works Cited: 

Miller, Carlos. "The Miami River Cops Case." Miami Beach 41. Miami Beach 41. 20 May 2009. 

             Web. 31 Oct. 2013