Posting from Tim O'Regan

I have offered to turn the blog over to others as the occasion arose. In this case, Tim O'Regan has offered the following piece that I believe is worthy of note. I have privately invited Commissioner Trujillo to respond. No answer yet but I am reiterating that invitation here and now. In the meantime, here is Tim's piece about what happened to him when he got involved.

Kevin,

I would like to reach out to some of your readers who don’t know me and set the record straight regarding untrue, personal statements about me by Commissioner Trujillo. I have been a resident of North Bay Village for the past 19 years. Prior to Chief Pandolfi’s resignation I had met City Manager Matthew Schwartz while offering to do some volunteer work for the City/Police Department.

I am retired from the City of Miami Beach Police Department. During my employment at Miami Beach I served as an Investigative Sergeant in Internal Affairs Unit for ten (10) years and five (5) years as the Security Administrator for the police department and managed a budget that rose to three (3) million dollars at one point.

I have to emphasize my only action was to volunteer to help out. I was just offering to be a good resident and offer my past experience and expertise to help in my community. It was and is very evident that there are some major problems internally with the police department, take what ever side you want, but all in all what’s happening at the PD with these never ending investigations, officers relieved of duty with pay for excessive amounts of time are costing the tax payers of which I am one.

The City Manager came to me and asked if I would consider taking over as the interim chief while they conducted a search for a permanent replacement for the chief’s position. This I agreed to do.

What is absolutely amazing is that with the simple act of volunteering, I found myself as a threat to numerous parties involved with NBV politics and the Police Department. I’ve waited this long to speak out for the mere fact that I wanted to double check my facts and the wording that I had heard at the April 13 Commission Meeting. I had provided the City Manager with a resume and attended the commission meeting to hear the outcome.

I was shocked Commissioner Trujillo's announcement that he had spoken to my references and others in the law enforcement community and although they had nice things to say about me, they questioned my ability to administer the police department.  Commissioner Trujillo’s actions were in fact the prudent thing to do as a city leader, check out employment references, IF HE HAD DONE SO.

I have contacted the three references I provided, all outstanding members of their communities and professional individuals with knowledge of the law enforcement community. Each and every one of them to a soul indicated they had no idea who Commissioner Rey Trujillo was, nor did they ever speak with anyone representing himself to be Commissioner Trujillo.

Commissioner Trujillo did in fact speak by telephone with a chief of police of one of our neighboring cities. When I met with Commissioner Trujillo he told me, he and I shared a close personal friend, ire. this chief of police, who he had spoken to and indicated he had provided a stellar evaluation of my abilities. I have known this chief for the past thirty five (35) years as a friend and co-worker, and when I explained what was said at the Commission meeting he went verbally berserk. He indicated his conversation with Trujillo was extremely positive in reference to me. If this was one of the others Trujillo had spoken to, then again another misrepresentation of fact or down right lie.

Commissioner Trujillo did mention he had spoken to someone “so impartial, and unbiased that it would surprise us all”, then added he would disclose the identity of this person to anyone who wanted it; “in private”. The accusation was made in public but Commissioner Trujillo will only back it up in private?

I don’t know who Commissioner Trujillo spoke with, but I do know he represented to the Commission, Public, and residents of NBV that he spoke with my references and HE DID NOT. Even our children at Treasure Island Elementary know the difference between the truth and a falsehood, shouldn't we expect the same from our elected commissioner?

If the intent of the commissioners was to in fact table the appointment of an interim chief, or if they didn’t believe I was the right person for the job so be it. Why not just say so and vote no on the appointment?

Instead Commissioner Trujillo chose to act in a cowardly manner by stating to his fellow commissioners and residents untruthful statements or as I see it out right lies. 

I don’t know all the players or conspiracies  being constructed beneath the surface involving this issue, but see no apparent reason for the Commissioner to lie. If he did this for some self serving purpose. unknown to others, then simply he possesses no integrity.  Unfortunately my wife and a few friends were present at this meeting, allowing the commissioner’s statements to embarrass me and my family in an open forum. 
 
Again as a resident, I offered to volunteer my services to the Village. This escalated when I was offered employment. The City came to me for this position; I did ask or covet the employment being offered. I have been embarrassed and to appearances libeled by an elected official, for no apparent reason other then agreeing to serve the community in which I live .  Elections have consequences; think very hard when the time comes to casting your next ballot for our elected officials.
 
 
Tim O’Regan
Resident Hispanola Ave.
North Bay Village.