A veteran Sunrise Police sergeant has been arrested on multiple charges following an investigation into alleged threats, officials said Tuesday.
Sgt. Daniel Rodriguez is facing charges that include written or electronic threats to kill or do bodily harm, extortion threats, and tampering with evidence, Sunrise Police said.
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WATCH HERERodriguez voluntarily surrendered to the Broward County Main Jail, where he was arrested, officials said.
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According to an arrest warrant, Rodriguez threatened to kill or injure two different people through text message back on Jan. 22.
He allegedly threatened one of the people two more times, in February and March, and accused that person of grand theft, the warrant said.
The warrant said the accusation was made "maliciously" and to stop the person from continuing their administrative investigation into Rodriguez.
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After Rodriguez was made aware in February that he was under investigation, he procured a new cellphone "with the purpose of impeding the availability of the cellular telephone used during the commission of the aforementioned crimes," the warrant said.
Rodriguez was placed on leave and had his police-issued gun, badge, ID and patrol vehicle confiscated, officials said.
He has also "had no interaction with the public in an official capacity," the department said.
Records showed the 44-year-old Rodriguez has been with the department since 2007. He was previously in the Army and spent time in Iraq, before joining the Florida Department of Corrections in 2004.
Rodriguez was a member of Sunrise Police's SWAT unit and is a four-time recipient of the "Officer of the Month" award.
"The Sunrise Police Department holds our members to the highest standards of conduct, and any actions which violate public trust are taken extremely seriously," the department said in a statement Tuesday. "The actions demonstrated by Rodriguez do not reflect the mission, vision, and core values of the men and women of the Sunrise Police Department."
