Miami Police Chief Timoney Resigns
Timoney out on same day Regalado is sworn in as mayor
By STEVE LITZ and BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 6:22 AM EDT, Thu, Nov 12, 2009
Miami Police Chief John Timoney has resigned this morning, a city official told NBC.
City Manager Pete Hernandez confirmed that Timoney turned in his resignation letter late last night, just hours before Tomas Regalado was to be sworn in as the new mayor of Miami.
"My main concern was to work with him best I could to facilitate an elegant and graceful exit and end to his term with the city of Miami," Hernandez said today at Regalado's swearing in ceremony.
Regalado said that his decision was based, at least in part, on the fact that 80 percent of the troops said they did not want to work with Timoney, and that he believed "that we should promote from within, that we should try new strategies."
In his resignation letter, Timoney kept it sentimental.
"I truly feel that I have fulfilled my mission that I set out on nearly seven years ago. I leave with nothing but the highest regards for the men and women of this department. They have performed, day in and day out, beyond all expectations," Timoney wrote in his letter to Hernandez. "I want to thank my staff who was there with me every step of the way. I am especially grateful to my Deputy Chief, Frank G. Fernandez, who is one of the best police officials in this country. I am very proud to have served this great department, this city and its Citizens."
The letter also lists accomplishments such as reduced crime and police-involved shootings, "state-of-the-art" horse stables, and the opening of the Miami Police College.
The departure of the city's top cop comes as no surprise. One of Regalado's main issues during his mayoral campaign against Joe Sanchez was the ouster of Timoney.
Timoney, 61, has served in the position for nearly seven years and will continue in the role until a replacement is found.
First Published: Nov 11, 2009 12:29 PM EDT
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