Coral Gables Historical Archive
The Times
Saturday, May 8, 1976, page 4 (of 27)
The page
The text of this pageRead by computer from the scan, so some words may be wrong. The page picture is the original.
SM chief, officer squabble over resignation
By EDWIN KNIGHT Staff Writer City of South Miami Police Chief Sal Vizzini answered charges made by a disgruntled former city police officer following the May 4, city council meeting, saying that what the former officer said during the meeting was "95 per cent untrue." Officer Ray Bullock resigned from the South Miami police department last month over not being able to get several days off for personal business. At the council meeting, he told the city's legislators that, among other things, he had received no merit raises during the years he had been a police officer, that police officers are not allowed in city hall and that he was forced to drop a college class through a work schedule change after he was assured that his schedule had been arranged so that he could attend school. Bullock also said he believes he was harassed and pressured by police officials because he was this year's president of South Miami Lodge 79 of the Fraternal Order of Police. Chief Vizzini wanted to answer the charges at the council meeting, but the council instead asked City Manager Jack Present for a written report. After meeting the police chief answered questions put to him by the press in the company of the city manager. Vizzini said that Bullock's attendance and performance were not up to standards which would have led police officials to give him special consideration for college attendance and time off. This also would account for Bullock's not having received any merit raises, Vizzini said. "As for his being harassed because he was the FOP president," the chief explained, "he was passed over for merit raises long before he became FOP president. The police chief added that at the time Bullock was FOP president, the FOP was not functioning within its charter by having among lodge officers at least one man who was not a duly sworn police officer. The chief also said that police officers on duty are not allowed in city hall because it takes the officers off the streets where they are needed for the protection of the city. "It also is administrative policy that police officers and all other city employes go to their supervisors before going to the finance director about their pay checks or other personal business," the chief brought out. "In most cases, the department head can answer any questions which the employe may have about his pay or anything else." Bullock, the chief also explained, had recorded a high amount of time off for sickness, mostly, the chief alleged, because Bullock was carrying too much school work. "We encourage police officers to earn college credits," the chief said. "It is a benefit to the police department and to the officer. But in Bullock's case, he was carrying too heavy a load to keep up with his police duties." Sal Vizzini ... SM police chief
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