One of the Miami Beach Police supervisors accused of sending racist and sexist emails and messages through government accounts is being heard for the first time in an internal affairs interview exclusively obtained by NBC 6.
Lt. Alex Carulo was fired back in May when the scandal came to light. He's one of two former supervisors portrayed as significant participants in the alleged email activities involving more than a dozen officers.
According to investigators, they found hundreds of messages and images that were racially offensive, pornographic or homophobic in nature.
In the interview, the internal affairs investigator asks Carulo about the images and why he was sending and receiving them.
"How can you explain this, the origin of these emails?" he asks. "First of all, do any of them have a legit business purpose?"
"From what I see no," Carulo says.
"Ok. Can you offer any explanation for any of these emails?" the investigator asks.
"No I cannot," he responds.
At one point, Carulo is asked about using his city email to open an account on a pornographic site named DancingBear.com. He replies that he can't recall.
Later, he's asked whether he knows if he's the only police employee who was using their email. He indicates he received emails from Maj. Angel Vazquez, another supervisor accused of being one of the primary email senders, as well as a captain.
"And of what nature are these emails?" the investigator asks.
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"It appears to be pornographic," Carulo says.
"At any point did either of those officers tell you to cease your actives?" the investigator says.
"No," Carulo responds.
"Would it be a fair statement that you considered receiving material from them of this nature to be a stamp of approval so to speak? That it's okay to send this stuff?" the investigator says.
"It was common practice back then I assume," Carulo says.
NBC 6 reached out to the attorney for the officers Friday but received no response. Vazquez retired before the scandal broke.
Police Chief Dan Oates, who joined the department after the messages were sent, said the demeanor in the department at the time the emails were circulating was to condone the behavior.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Kathy Fernandez Rundle has described the pornography as disgusting. The state attorney's office is still investigating the emails and could possibly file criminal charges.
The state attorney is also looking into more than 500 cases handled by the officers to see if they might have been impacted by what was allegedly going on before Oates arrived.
In his interview with the investigator, Carulo eventually admitted he used poor judgment.
"It was foolish, poor judgment on my part and I accept full responsibility," he said. "It is what it is."
