Feb 8, 2008 10:49 pm US/Eastern
PD Chief Gets Bonus, Despite Ethics Reprimand
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Chief John Timoney responds to the vote of no confidence.
CBS News
CBS4 News has learned Miami Police Chief John Timoney got a performance bonus January 19th to the order of $15,847. He pocketed the bonus just days before a county ethics panel fined him for violating a gift ban.
Timoney drove a Lexus hybrid SUV given to him by Lexus of Kendall for 15 months, free of charge.
"It sends a horrible message to rank and file," said Miami Commissioner Marc Sarnoff. "On Monday morning how do employees view it? Do they see someone just judged for unethical behavior getting a $16,000 bonus?"
On January 31st, after the county ethics panel ruling, Timoney's Boss, Miami City Manager Pete Hernandez docked the police chief a week's pay, reportedly adding up to between $4-5,000. Given that discipline, the question becomes, why the big bonus check?
"That is prior to having any knowledge of the Lexus SUV incident," said Hernandez.
The City Manager says Timoney's bonus money is for an evaluation period running from April 2006 to April 2007.
CBS4's Gary Nelson broke the story of Timoney's free Lexus in August 2007. The city manager says the actual bonus payout was delayed until last month because of administrative backlogs.
Hernandez says it wouldn't be right to rescind the bonus.
"It would have been totally unfair to go back in a retroactive way and take it back from a previous evaluation period," he said.
Now a Miami civilian investigation board is looking into Timoney's actions regarding the Lexus use, though the city manager says he hopes to mediate a settlement. He doesn't think Timoney should leave his post.
"No. I think over the years he has done a good job for the City of Miami and is a good police chief."
But now many will be focusing closely on Timoney's performance review this spring.
"I think it is very important the city manager make it clear in the future this chief will not be getting this kind of review or any kind of bonus," said Sarnoff.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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