Miami Police Capt. Javier Ortiz has been suspended after he told commissioners he was black while addressing complaints about alleged discrimination in the police department.
Officials with the department confirmed Wednesday that Ortiz had been suspended.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said in a statement that he was told by Police Chief Jorge Colina about the situation.
"Chief Colina recently informed me that Captain Javier Ortiz was relieved of duty. In the coming days, I will be meeting with the Chief to further discuss," the statement said, in part.
The comment was made during a meeting last week where members of Miami's largest black police association aired grievances about racial discrimination within the department. Ortiz had been allowed to speak after it was mentioned that he claimed he was black on a promotional exam.
Ortiz said he learned that there are members of his family who are black, and brought up the so-called "One Drop" rule, the belief that anyone of African Descent, no matter how small the ancestry, is considered black.
According to the Miami Police Benevolent Association, Ortiz has racked up 60 citizen internal complaints.
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He was cleared of seven, six were sustained and 24 were found to be inconclusive.
