Rumors were swirling around Miami City Hall Friday that next week could spell the end of Miami's Police Chief Miguel Exposito as the city's top cop.
Sources inside City Hall and the police department told NBC Miami they're hearing Exposito could be fired for insubordination by City Manager Johnny Martinez as early as Tuesday, though NBC Miami was unable to confirm that there would be a firing.
Martinez was out of the office Friday and was unavailable for comment. Calls to the Miami Police Department for comment were not immediately returned.
A spokesman for Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado said the mayor hadn't heard anything about the firing.
"That's news to us," spokesman Pat Santangelo said.
The news was first reported by blog thecrespogramreport.com, which said a specially convened city commission meeting would take place Thursday if Martinez fired Exposito.
According to the city charter, the city manager must first suspend the police chief, and the city commission would make the final decision.
If the chief is terminated, he has five days to appeal, and an appeal would also require a vote by the city commission. A majority of three out of five commissioners is needed to either uphold the decision to fire Exposito or reverse it.
Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones, who was just reinstated last week after she was exonerated on corruption charges, said she hadn't heard the Exposito firing rumors.
"At this point my focus is really making sure I get all the information on both sides, I'm not ever going to rush to judgment," Spence-Jones said. "I know what it felt like to have judgment rushed on me so I'm going to listen to both sides and then I'll make my decision."
It's just the latest drama surrounding Exposito, who has been embroiled in bitter feuds with city commissioners and Regalado for several months over his handling of the force.
Exposito became chief in November 2009, after joining the Miami Police Department in 1974. He quickly fell out of favor with Regalado when he began to crack down on the city's gaming machines. The chief claimed Regalado was interfering with the investigation.
After a rash of police involved shootings in Miami in which black men were shots, Exposito clashed with city commissioners, including former Commissioner Richard Dunn, who called for the chief to step down.
The chief refused to step down, and it was later announced that the U.S. Department of Justice would investigate the shootings. The department has been cleared of wrongdoing in most of the shootings.
In June, Exposito claimed he was offered $400,000 to leave his post by a "high-ranking city official." Days later, the chief's job was posted on the Miamigov.com website.
NBC Miami later obtained a $200,000 check issued by the City of Miami to Exposito.
In July, Martinez ordered the chief to limit his communications with the media, only allowing him to talk to reporters about public safety or police situations.
Spence-Jones said the controversy surrounding the chief is not her priority right now. Solving the city's budget crisis is.
"Were talking about a $61 million dollar deficit, the possibility of people losing their jobs and the possibility of people not having city services," she said. "To me that's what's most important for right now."
