The president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police is allowed to once again carry his firearm on and off-duty. Lieutenant Javier Ortiz getting the small victory in court Monday at a hearing for a harassment case against him.
Despite getting his gun back, a temporary restraining order against Ortiz will remain in place until at least one more week. The head of the police union is accused of stalking a woman on social media after she posted a video of her encounter with another police officer whom she pulled over for speeding.
"I have full trust in the criminal justice system in having me vindicated," said Lt. Ortiz as he left Monday's court hearing.
Claudia Castillo claims the union leader stalked her online and in person.
A petition was filed in March one day after Castillo attended a Civilian Investigative Panel meeting to discuss the cop-speeding case. Ortiz was also present at the meeting. The panel recommended to Internal Affairs that an allegation of harassment be added against Ortiz for allegedly trolling Castillo on social media. Castillo also claimed that after the meeting, Ortiz followed her toward the parking lot.
"He has no business trolling her social media. He has no business meeting with her, following her around," said Castillo's attorney Paul Petruzzi.
Ortiz's attorney disputes those claims. "He was there for union business and we will present evidence of police witnesses that will show he went into an office and she was free to leave and he didn't follow her," said attorney Robert Buschel.
The conflict between the two dates back to January 2016 when Castillo uploaded a video of her pulling over a Miami-Dade police officer for allegedly speeding. Days later, Ortiz posted photos of Castillo and her cell phone number urging his followers to contact her.
"It instilled fear in my client," Castillo's attorney said in court.
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Castillo is seeking a permanent injunction at a hearing scheduled for next Monday at 1:30 p.m.
